How do we come to this point of salvation?
We come to salvation by believing, which is faith plus nothing. God justifies the sinner who believes in Jesus Christ, not by works or the law. This excludes all boasting and rests entirely on the finished work of the cross, so salvation is received through faith alone.
Les teaches that salvation comes by believing, and the other word for believing is faith—faith plus nothing. He explains that this is not about the Christian life, Christian works, or anything like that, but about salvation. The point is that God can be just and the justifier of the one who believes in Jesus. If salvation were by works, heaven would be a place of constant boasting, with people telling all they did to get there. But boasting is excluded. It is not excluded by the law of works, which would bring boasting in, but by the law of faith and grace, leaving no room for boasting. So it must be totally by the finished work of the cross.
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.