What if one of the most foundational and widely accepted teachings in modern Christianity — the idea that we are saved by a combination of faith plus our own good works and religious efforts — is actually missing the heart of the gospel?

In this deep-dive episode of Mining Scripture, we slow down and examine the question verse by verse, from the Fall in Genesis through the writings of Paul and the rest of the New Testament: Does the Bible truly teach that salvation is earned or maintained by human effort? Or has a subtle but dangerous distortion — influenced more by legalism and human tradition than by the words of Scripture — quietly shaped what many Christians assume is true?

If salvation is really by grace alone, why does the Bible repeatedly emphasize that it is a free, unmerited gift from God?

Why does Scripture describe tr ...