Faith and Works.

I'm reading a book of sermons by Charles Spurgeon. He once preached on children of the promise, Isaac, versus children of works, Ishmael. Isaac was born by a miracle of God - a son of a promise from God to Abraham. Ishmael was born by the works of man - Abraham and Sarah, who disobeyed God and tried to do good in their own way.

Spurgeon writes:

"We cannot be saved in part by self, and in part by the promise of God. The principle and notion of earning salvation must be expelled from the mind. Every degree and form of it must be "cast out." If we are so unwise as to place our dependence partly on grace and partly on merit, we shall be resting one foot on a rock and the other on the sea, and our fall will be certain.

There can be no dividing of the work or of the glory of salvation. It must be all of grace or all of works, all of God or all of man; but it cannot be half of one and half of the other. Cease from the vain attempt to unite two principles which are as adverse as fire and water. The promise, and the promise alone must be the foundation of our hope ...We must not begin in the spirit and hope to be made perfect in the flesh.

...to us it is unlawful to mingle mercy and merit, grace and debt. Whenever the notion of salvation by merit, or feeling, or ceremonies comes in, we must cast it out without delay."

"...for by the works of the law shall no man be justified." Galatians 2:16