Home > Other critiques of Christian doctrine - salvation
"Salvation should come through good deeds—it's fairer that way, and it's what Allah teaches. The Qur'an says, ‘And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer—those will enter Paradise' (Surah An-Nisa, 4:124). Your actions matter; they show your faith and submission to Allah. Why should someone get paradise without effort, just by believing a man died for them? That's not justice.
Jesus (peace be upon him) taught this too—‘We gave him the Injeel, in which was guidance and light' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:46). He said, ‘If you would enter life, keep the commandments' (Matthew 19:17). The Qur'an says, ‘The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:75). In Islam, deeds like prayer, charity, and kindness, paired with faith, earn Allah's mercy—‘Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful' (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:173). It's balanced, not a cheat."
The objection that salvation should be earned by good deeds is based on human notions of fairness and merit. The Christian defense counters that a system based on deeds is ultimately unfair because it demands a perfection no human can achieve.
The Christian Rationale for Grace
The necessity of Salvation by Grace through Faith hinges on two theological realities:
Key Difference in Systems
The core contrast is the relationship between effort and salvation:
Grace is argued to be the only way God can be both perfectly Just (by punishing sin) and perfectly Merciful (by providing the means for salvation).