Salvation is 100% God's doing, being lost is 100% our doing

[rockybashful]

I've been having this interesting thought in my mind as a response to calvinism and I was wondering what you guys think. Basically the idea is that salvation is 100% what God does, even choosing salvation is His doing because literally every good gift comes from Him.

But to be lost is 100% something we do, we are lost by trying to save ourselves by OUR own works. Being lost is of OUR own choosing because no bad choice ever come from God.

Okay, there's the thought, now what do you guys think? Do you believe it's biblical?

 

[Neostarwcc]

Depends on your definition of "lost" if by "lost" you mean "never saved in the first place" than yes I would agree.

If by lost you mean they "lose their salvation" than no, i wouldn't agree with you.

The word of God is clear that once a person is saved, they're saved forever.

 

[Clare73]

I've been having this interesting thought in my mind as a response to calvinism and I was wondering what you guys think. Basically the idea is that salvation is 100% what God does, even choosing salvation is His doing because literally every good gift comes from Him.

But to be lost is 100% something we do, we are lost by trying to save ourselves by OUR own works. Being lost is of OUR own choosing because no bad choice ever come from God.

Okay, there's the thought, now what do you guys think? Do you believe it's biblical?

Half of it is Biblical, the part about salvation is 100% God.

But being lost (condemned) is 100% Adam (Ro 5:18).

It is from that condemnation which faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Ro 3:25) saves us.
.

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello @rockybashful, first off, I see that you are a new member here, so WELCOME TO CF And also, since you are American, Happy Thanksgiving

The Calvinist position on losing our salvation, or on our choosing to forfeit it is this .. it won't happen .. because God will see to it that it doesn't We believe that He "preserves" us in the faith, from justification to glorification, such that ALL who are drawn by Him in this life will persevere in the faith to the end (albeit imperfectly).

We are saved from the moment that we first believe/come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus, and it is in that moment that we are given "eternal life" (not temporary or probational life).

Here are just a few of the passages that cause us to believe/teach what we do, that ALL of the elect of God, His saints and His saints to be, will persevere in the faith and be eternally saved.

John 3
16 God so loved the world, that He gave His conly begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 5
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has ~eternal~ life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

John 6:37-40 (excerpt)
ALL that the Father gives me will come to Me and .. of all that He has given Me, I LOSE NOTHING, but raise it up on the last day.

John 6
44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

John 10
26 You do not believe because you are not of My sheep.
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

Philippians 1
6 I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5
23 May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body
be ~preserved~ complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

Hebrews 7
25 He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

1 John 5
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Jude 1
24 Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forevermore. Amen.
​

--David
p.s. - I normally add 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 as part of my welcome to new Christians here, so please consider that passage part of your welcome as well

.
​

 

[Clare73]

I've been having this interesting thought in my mind as a response to calvinism and I was wondering what you guys think. Basically the idea is that salvation is 100% what God does, even choosing salvation is His doing because literally every good gift comes from Him.

But to be lost is 100% something we do, we are lost by trying to save ourselves by OUR own works. Being lost is of OUR own choosing because no bad choice ever come from God.

Okay, there's the thought, now what do you guys think? Do you believe it's biblical?

To what part of "Calvinism" are you thinking about responding?
.

 

[rockybashful]

Half of it is Biblical, the part about salvation is 100% God.

But being lost (condemned) is 100% Adam (Ro 5:18).

It is from that condemnation that faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Ro 3:25) saves us.
.

You're right, to be in Adam is to be condemned, but to be in Christ is to be saved.

Depends on your definition of "lost" if by "lost" you mean "never saved in the first place" than yes I would agree.

If by lost you mean they "lose their salvation" than no, i wouldn't agree with you.

The word of God is clear that once a person is saved, they're saved forever.

Nope, I don't mean you can lose your salvation because there's nothing you do can change who you are in Christ. Salvation isn't about doing, it's about being. It's your identity.

Hmmm... Everything I said about "doing" at the beginning was something I had just made up while thinking on this topic and I'm starting to think that our doing has nothing to do with anything. Only God's doing really has any say anyway.

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello again @rockybashful, I thought it might be helpful to include an official Calvinist teaching on this topic, the topic that the 5th "petal" of our acrostic TULIP is referring to, "Perseverance", or more specifically, the "Perseverance of the Saints".

Chapter 17: Of the Perseverance of the Saints
The 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith

1. They whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.a

a. John 10:28-29; Phil 1:6; 1 Pet 1:5, 9; 2 Pet 1:10; 1 John 3:9.

2. This perseverance of the saints depends, not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father;a upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ;b the abiding of the Spirit and of the seed of God within them;c and the nature of the covenant of grace:d from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.e

a. Jer 31:3; 2 Tim 2:18-19. • b. Luke 22:32; John 17:11, 24; Heb 7:25; 9:12-15; 10:10, 14; 13:20-21; Rom 8:33-39. • c. John 14:16-17; 1 John 2:27; 3:9. • d. Jer 32:40. • e. John 10:28; 2 Thes 3:3; 1 John 2:19.

3. Nevertheless they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins;a and for a time continue therein:b whereby they incur God’s displeasure,c and grieve his Holy Spirit;d come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts;e have their hearts hardened,f and their consciences wounded;g hurt and scandalize others,h and bring temporal judgments upon themselves.i

a. Mat 26:70, 72, 74. • b. Psa 51 title with v. 14. • c. 2 Sam 11:27; Isa 64:5, 7, 9. • d. Eph 4:30. • e. Psa 51:8, 10, 12; Song 5:2-4, 6; Rev 2:4. • f. Isa 63:17; Mark 6:52; 16:14. • g. Psa 32:3-4; 51:8. • h. 2 Sam 12:14. • i. Psa 89:31-32; 1 Cor 11:32.
​

--David

 

[rockybashful]

An interesting observation I've noticed is that there's always the temptation to doubt in one's assurance of salvation whether if you're calvanist or arminion, here's why:

A calvinist may doubt whether or not he or she is elect.
An arminianist may doubt his perseverance

Just seems both camps are paranoid about being saved, they just have difference in opinion on how to explain the details on how it happens.

 

[Aussie Pete]

I've been having this interesting thought in my mind as a response to calvinism and I was wondering what you guys think. Basically the idea is that salvation is 100% what God does, even choosing salvation is His doing because literally every good gift comes from Him.

But to be lost is 100% something we do, we are lost by trying to save ourselves by OUR own works. Being lost is of OUR own choosing because no bad choice ever come from God.

Okay, there's the thought, now what do you guys think? Do you believe it's biblical?

We are born "lost" - dead in trespass and sin. How can a dead person do anything? So God came in the person of Jesus to seek and save the lost. Even as a Christian, it is impossible to "save", as in deliver, ourselves. "By grace are you saved" is a daily declaration, not an instant when you are first born again. The word "save" has become Christian code for going to heaven when you die. This is not the whole meaning by any means. Salvation also means deliverance (Luke 4:18, Hebrews 12:1). The initial experience is instant followed by a lifetime of growing in grace and of deliverance from various bondages. God delivers according to our willingness to change. He does the rest. Even my willingness to change is something that I had to ask God for.

 

[St_Worm2]

An interesting observation I've noticed is that there's always the temptation to doubt in one's assurance of salvation whether if you're calvanist or arminion, here's why:

A calvinist may doubt whether or not he or she is elect.
An arminianist may doubt his perseverance

Just seems both camps are paranoid about being saved, they just have difference in opinion on how to explain the details on how it happens.

That is true. While the "assurance" of our salvation can be a fleeting thing at times (depending on where our walk is in the moment), thanks be to God that our "salvation" is not (as many of the verses in post #4 above point our for us).

That said, there are also people who claim to be believers and even have assurance that they are saved, who are not/never were. This is a frightening fact that is pointed out to us in passages like this one .. Matthew 7:22-23.

--David

Matthew 7
22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I ~never~ knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
.​

 

[Butterball1]

I've been having this interesting thought in my mind as a response to calvinism and I was wondering what you guys think. Basically the idea is that salvation is 100% what God does, even choosing salvation is His doing because literally every good gift comes from Him.

But to be lost is 100% something we do, we are lost by trying to save ourselves by OUR own works. Being lost is of OUR own choosing because no bad choice ever come from God.

Okay, there's the thought, now what do you guys think? Do you believe it's biblical?

If salvation were monergistic and God alone 100% determines who is saved, then wouldn't that mean God alone at the same time also decides 100% who is to be lost? If so, then how can man be responsible for a choice God made for men?
Yet salvation is not monergistic for man has a role to play in his own salvation (Acts of the Apostles 2:40; 1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Corinthians 7:1; James 4:8; etc). God saves those who obey (Hebrews 5:9) and has wrath upon those who obey not (2 Thessalonains 1:8). So even though God saves, who God saves is not unconditional nor independent from man's choice to obey God or not.

 

[zoidar]

I've been having this interesting thought in my mind as a response to calvinism and I was wondering what you guys think. Basically the idea is that salvation is 100% what God does, even choosing salvation is His doing because literally every good gift comes from Him.

But to be lost is 100% something we do, we are lost by trying to save ourselves by OUR own works. Being lost is of OUR own choosing because no bad choice ever come from God.

Okay, there's the thought, now what do you guys think? Do you believe it's biblical?

I heard this perspective from a Lutheran pastor, the 100% God, 100% man. He says that is the Lutheran stance.

 

[Soyeong]

I've been having this interesting thought in my mind as a response to calvinism and I was wondering what you guys think. Basically the idea is that salvation is 100% what God does, even choosing salvation is His doing because literally every good gift comes from Him.

But to be lost is 100% something we do, we are lost by trying to save ourselves by OUR own works. Being lost is of OUR own choosing because no bad choice ever come from God.

Okay, there's the thought, now what do you guys think? Do you believe it's biblical?

In Titus 2:11-14, our salvation is described as being trained by grace to do what is godly, righteous, and good, and to renounce doing what is ungodly, so God graciously teaching us to obey His laws for how to do that is itself part of the content of His gift of salvation. Furthermore, In Titus 2:14, Jesus gave himself both to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people of his own possession who are zealous for doing good works, so becoming zealous for obeying God's laws for how to do good works is what it means to believe in what he accomplished through the cross (Acts 21:20). So while making salvation available is 100% dependent on God, receiving the git of salvation involves 100% of our participation.

 

[QvQ]

I have been considering this so I will toss out an idea.
Salvation is by the Grace of God. A free gift according to God's will. Man is restored, regenerated by God

After Salvation, then, according to some, man has to work. So a Christian must work or God's grace will be withdrawn

John Wesley "Secondly, God worketh in you; therefore you must work:.......otherwise he will cease working." "

It is saying you don't have to work to get in, just accept God's gracious gift but once in, you have to earn any subsequent grace.

IF my interpretation of this is correct, then I can't agree that it is 100% God we are saved and 100% us if we are lost.
It would be a shell game, no work until you accept, then you are handed the bill. Get in is free, staying is going to cost

John Calvin "as to subsequent grace, which they imagine to be the reward of merit."

I concluded that God regenerates and God preserves us

 

[Soyeong]

I have been considering this so I will toss out an idea.
Salvation is by the Grace of God. A free gift according to God's will. Man is restored, regenerated by God

After Salvation, then, according to some, man has to work. So a Christian must work or God's grace will be withdrawn

John Wesley "Secondly, God worketh in you; therefore you must work:.......otherwise he will cease working." "

It is saying you don't have to work to get in just accept God's gracious gift but once in, you have to earn any subsequent grace.

IF my interpretation of this is correct, then I can't agree that it is 100% God we are saved and 100% us if we are lost.
It would be a shell game, no work until you accept, then you are handed the bill. Get in is free, staying is going to cost

John Calvin "as to subsequent grace, which they imagine to be the reward of merit."

I concluded that God regenerates and God preserves us

In Titus 2:11-14, our salvation is described as being trained by grace to do what is godly, righteous, and good, and to renounce doing what is ungodly, so it is neither the case that our salvation is the result of doing those works or that those works are the result of our salvation, but that God graciously teaching us to do those works is intrinsically the content of His gift of saving us from not doing those works.

 

[QvQ]

In Titus 2:11-14, our salvation is described as being trained by grace to do what is godly, righteous, and good, and to renounce doing what is ungodly, so it is neither the case that our salvation is the result of doing those works or that those works are the result of our salvation, but that God graciously teaching us to do those works is intrinsically the content of His gift of saving us from not doing those works.

"He leads me on the paths of righteousness for His name's sake"

However King David committed some very unrighteous acts.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

God's goodness and mercy followed David all the days of his life.

I believe that David may well be dwelling in the house of the Lord forever.

 

[St_Worm2]

In Titus 2:11-14, our salvation is described as being trained by grace to do what is godly, righteous, and good, and to renounce doing what is ungodly, so it is neither the case that our salvation is the result of doing those works or that those works are the result of our salvation, but that God graciously teaching us to do those works is intrinsically the content of His gift of saving us from not doing those works.

Hello Soyeong, I agree with some of what you've said, but not all (unless I am misunderstanding you, that is, which is certainly possible ).

For instance, "trained by grace" is an interesting thought. Is that your way of saying (or describing) "sanctification", or do you mean something else by it than that (or perhaps something more)?

As far as 'my' salvation is concerned, and the works that I did both prior to it and afterwards, while there is no question that the fruit of the Spirit (e.g. Galatians 5:22-23) is more evident in my walk now than it was 36+ years ago (when I came to saving faith in Christ), and that the deeds of the flesh from my (former) life outside of Christ (e.g. Galatians 5:19-21) are further diminished (or perhaps better, far more often under control), MANY of the most profound changes that I have experienced since becoming a believer happened back then, when God saved me and declared me just (at the very moment that I came to saving faith).

IOW, I was made a "new creature/creation" at that moment .. e.g. 2 Corinthians 5:17. I came to possess a new self with a new nature (that replaced my old self/old nature). This resulted in an immediate paradigm shift in my former, lifelong way of thinking such I no longer looked to please myself (in all things) but instead, sought to please Him in all that I do/say/think instead (first and foremost/above all others .. including myself).

As the Bible tells us, God changes us by quickening/regenerating us/by causing us to be "born again". The Bible tells us that He gives us a new heart and a new spirit, as well the (now) permanent indwelling of Holy Spirit. It tells us that He removes our old stony (dead) heart and that He gives us a new, fleshy (lively) one in its place. The result is that we are caused to walk in His statutes and enabled by Him to willingly/happily observe/obey all of His ordinances and commandments .. e.g. Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 3:3; Ephesians 2:1-5.

All that I experienced that day (November 2nd, 1986) resulted from Him "changing" me, not "training" me (or so it seems to me anyway), since much of what has happened to me (much of what is truly different about me) happened back then in a moment of time. In that moment He made me, "His workmanship/masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus FOR good works", works that were prepared for me to do beforehand .. e.g. Ephesians 2:10.

So, while I KNOW that I was "saved" by His grace/by His gracious choice to do so (by His "UN-merited favor" towards me), I also know that He gave me His "sanctifying grace" at that time, as well (that enabled/enables me to come alongside of Him and join Him, to the degree that I am able, in the ongoing process of my sanctification/of my growing up in Christlikeness, my "working out"/expressing in action the salvation that I already possess, that He had already worked "into" me all those years ago .. e.g. Philippians 1:6, 2:12-13.

Thanks for your help with this! Hopefully some of what I just said will help you understand where my confusion lies with the idea of being, "trained by grace".

God bless you!!

--David

 

[Soyeong]

Hello Soyeong, I agree with some of what you've said, but not all (unless I am misunderstanding you, that is, which is certainly possible ).

For instance, "trained by grace" is an interesting thought. Is that your way of saying (or describing) "sanctification", or do you mean something else by it than that (or perhaps something more)?

In Titus 2:11-14, it states that is speaking about "salvation", through it would be appropriate to also refer that aspect of our salvation as "sanctification". The Bible refers to our salvation in the past, present, and future tenses, so we have been saved from the penalty of our sin (Ephesians 2:8), we are being saved from continuing to live in sin (Philippians 2:12), and we will be saved from God's wrath on the day of the Lord (Romans 5:9-10), so sanctification refers to the aspect of our salvation that is being made to be more like Christ, which is ingoing in the present tense. In addition to being trained by grace, Titus 2:11-14 says that Jesus gave himself both to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people of his own possession who are zealous for doing good works, so that is speak about both a past and a present aspect of our salvation.

As far as 'my' salvation is concerned, and the works that I did both prior to it and afterwards, while there is no question that the fruit of the Spirit (e.g. Galatians 5:22-23) is more evident in my walk now than it was 36+ years ago (when I came to saving faith in Christ), and that the deeds of the flesh from my (former) life outside of Christ (e.g. Galatians 5:19-21) are further diminished (or perhaps better, far more often under control), MANY of the most profound changes that I have experienced since becoming a believer happened back then, when God saved me and declared me just (at the very moment that I came to saving faith).

IOW, I was made a "new creature/creation" at that moment .. e.g. 2 Corinthians 5:17. I came to possess a new self with a new nature (that replaced my old self/old nature). This resulted in an immediate paradigm shift in my former, lifelong way of thinking such I no longer looked to please myself (in all things) but instead, sought to please Him in all that I do/say/think instead (first and foremost/above all others .. including myself).

As the Bible tells us, God changes us by quickening/regenerating us/by causing us to be "born again". The Bible tells us that He gives us a new heart and a new spirit, as well the (now) permanent indwelling of Holy Spirit. It tells us that He removes our old stony (dead) heart and that He gives us a new, fleshy (lively) one in its place. The result is that we are caused to walk in His statutes and enabled by Him to willingly/happily observe/obey all of His ordinances and commandments .. e.g. Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 3:3; Ephesians 2:1-5.

In Ezekiel 36:26-27, the Spirit has the role of leading us to obey both the mishpatim and the chukim, however, there are a lot of Christians who just want to obey the mishpatim and consider the chukim to only be for Jews. Christ followed the chukim and our sanctification is about being made to be more like him. God's game plan is to teach the Jews how to be blessed so that Jews so that Jews can be equipped to go out into the world to teach the nations how to be blessed, which is the way to multiply the children of Abraham and of God in accordance with being heirs of the promise through faith, which is also known as spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom. God wants to bless us and He blesses us by teaching us how to live blessed lives, which is how we re to bless others in accordance with the promise.

All that I experienced that day (November 2nd, 1986) resulted from Him "changing" me, not "training" me (or so it seems to me anyway), since much of what has happened to me (much of what is truly different about me) happened back then in a moment of time. In that moment He made me, "His workmanship/masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus FOR good works", works that were prepared for me to do beforehand .. e.g. Ephesians 2:10.

So, while I KNOW that I was "saved" by His grace/by His gracious choice to do so (by His "UN-merited favor" towards me), I also know that He gave me His "sanctifying grace" at that time, as well (that enabled/enables me to come alongside of Him and join Him, to the degree that I am able, in the ongoing process of my sanctification/of my growing up in Christlikeness, my "working out"/expressing in action the salvation that I already possess, that He had already worked "into" me all those years ago .. e.g. Philippians 1:6, 2:12-13.

Thanks for your help with this! Hopefully some of what I just said will help you understand where my confusion lies with the idea of being, "trained by grace".

God bless you!!

--David

I agree that there is an immediate change when we accept the truth of the Gospel of the Kingdom, though there is also an ongoing change as we mature in our faith, which is the aspect of our salvation that Titus 2:11-14 describes as being trained by grace to do those works. In Psalms 119:29-30, David want to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faithfulness, so this has always been the one and only means of salvation by grace through faith. In Exodus 33:13, Moses wanted God to be gracious to him by teaching him His way that he might know Him and Israel too, in Matthew 7:23, Jesus said that he would tell those who are workers of lawlessness to depart from him because he never knew them, so knowing God and Jesus is the goal of the law, which is eternal life (John 17:3), and which again is salvation by grace through faith.

 

[hopeforhappiness]

Depends on your definition of "lost" if by "lost" you mean "never saved in the first place" than yes I would agree.

If by lost you mean they "lose their salvation" than no, i wouldn't agree with you.

The word of God is clear that once a person is saved, they're saved forever.

I am coming round firmly to this position. Not out of any shallow, exploitative, desire to carry on sinning, but because of what it cost Jesus to achieve salvation for us. The incentive for good works is surely that Jesus now regards us as brothers and therefore we cooperate in our sanctification with His spirit because we love Him. However I have heard evangelical preachers, unthinkingly perhaps, use the parables of the bridesmaids with oil-less lamps to shake us up a bit. Also used is Jesus warning some people that "I never knew you", even though they had done Christian things.
But I wanted to ask about the statements in the NT which seem to argue for salvation by works. Romans 2:6,7; Revelation 20;12, even Matthew 25;31+
How do you read these? Are they for believers?

 

[Don Maurer]

I am coming round firmly to this position. Not out of any shallow, exploitative, desire to carry on sinning, but because of what it cost Jesus to achieve salvation for us. The incentive for good works is surely that Jesus now regards us as brothers and therefore we cooperate in our sanctification with His spirit because we love Him. However I have heard evangelical preachers, unthinkingly perhaps, use the parables of the bridesmaids with oil-less lamps to shake us up a bit. Also used is Jesus warning some people that "I never knew you", even though they had done Christian things.
But I wanted to ask about the statements in the NT which seem to argue for salvation by works. Romans 2:6,7; Revelation 20;12, even Matthew 25;31+
How do you read these? Are they for believers?

I will address only the Romans 2 context. I do not wish to go all over the bible and get in a battle. I will say that I think Revelation 20:12 and Matthew 31:25ff are easier to refute any concept of justification by works. I will choose Romans 2.

NON-PARTIALITY
The context of the statement in 2:6 has a conclusion in 2:11. "For there is no partiality with God." Gods judgement of evil or good has no partially and no favorites. Romans 2:6-11 are articulating that in Gods judgement that there is a principle of non-partiality. God is not partial to unbelievers who suppress the knowledge of God (cf Rm 1:18) and are without excuse (Romans 1:20; 2:1). Neither is God partial to believers who live the lives God regenerated them to live (Rm 2:7, 10, 13). In any case, Romans 2:6 is an OT quote from Psa 62:12. The quote is used as an argument to establish the conclusion found in Romans 2:11 "For there is no partiality with God."

REGENERATION
I would agree that unless one understands the doctrine of regeneration correctly, Romans 2:6 and many other texts can sound like salvation by works. 1 John 2:29 has regeneration in the phrase "born of him." Being "born of him" results in a righteous life (not sinless). 1 John 2:29 "If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him." We do works, that is true. Verse 6 is not saying we do works to be saved. It is saying we do works because we are saved and will be rewarded accordingly without impartiality.

JUSTIFICATION
I believe there is a practical righteousness that is the result of regeneration that is displayed in Rm 2:6. I also see imputed righteousness in verses like Romans 4:6. "just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:" However, I do not think this is relevant to Romans 2:6. This is a substitutionary or imputed righteousness in our justification. While both are true (we have a substitutionary righteousness in Christ and a practical righteousness because of regeneration) because of the context in verse 7, and the concept of "perseverance" the statements in verse 6 relate to a practical and personal righteousness (not total sinlessness) that comes from regeneration. The concept of justification is in Romans 3 and 4, but has not yet entered the discussion in Chapter 2.

FINAL COMMENTS ON REGENERATION
Romans 2:27-29 use the term circumcision. This is of course a spiritual circumcision. Paul is drawing very heavily from Deuteronomy 30:6 and many other passages in the OT. It also alludes to the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:33. Why do we as Gentiles keep the law? It is not by our own power and ability. It is part of a gift God has given believers. Let me quote Jeremiah 31:33... "“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Notice where the law is!! We are practically righteous not because we are naturally righteous! We grow in sanctification and practice righteousness because of what God has done inside our hearts. Read verse 33 again! He has placed his law on our hearts. Why do believers lives more righteous and God honoring lives than unbelievers? It is not our work for God!!! It is not our work for salvation!!! It is Gods work in us!!!!!!!! It is his law upon our hearts!

Saved by works... not a chance... works because we are saved... absolutely!