What is the state of Christianity today regarding works religion?
Christianity today is inundated with works religion, which appears in various subtle forms. Whenever anything, however small, is attached to the gospel of grace, it ceases to be grace and becomes works. Salvation is faith plus nothing; if it is works, it cannot be grace, and God must be approached by faith alone.
Les teaches that Paul has been emphasizing since Romans that salvation is faith plus nothing, or it is no salvation at all. If anything, ever so small, is attached to the gospel of grace, it becomes a works religion. Christianity today, he explains, is inundated with works religion, and it can come in various forms and is very subtle. He gives the example of a lady who, under stress while her husband served in Vietnam, was subtly drawn into New Age phenomena before the Lord opened her eyes. Les says all of this stuff is based on works, and when it is works it cannot be grace. Whether Jew or Gentile, if it is works, it is not grace, so we must come God's way by faith, and faith alone.