What does 'faith plus nothing' mean?
Faith plus nothing means salvation is based solely on Jesus Christ crucified, buried, and risen from the dead, with no added requirements. Unlike earlier dispensations where faith was accompanied by repentance, baptism, law-keeping, or temple worship, Paul's gospel excludes every human work or ritual as a condition.
Les explains that the Galatian believers were being hoodwinked by Judaizers from Jerusalem into adding something to Paul's gospel. The truth is Jesus Christ crucified, buried, and risen from the dead, plus nothing. Earlier, Old Testament saints were saved by faith, but not faith alone; it was faith plus—they had to repent, be baptized, keep the law, and observe temple worship. Even in Christ's earthly ministry, believing He was Messiah was not enough by itself. But now, beginning with Paul's gospel, it is faith plus nothing. Les recalls a lady in his Macalester class who made a plaque asking “faith plus nothing?” because most of Christendom insists on faith plus something.