Romans 3:27-28 :

Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

There is a law or a rule of life in Christianity but it is not a rule of “works.” The idea that Christianity is a law of works is such a common thought even among those who claim to speak for Christianity that it is nearly impossible to understand what the Bible really says without paying very close attention to verses like these.

When we are made right with God we are made right with Him through “faith apart from works.” It is a serious error to attempt to combine the free gift of God’s righteousness with any work or requirement that we must perform. Paul makes a very clear distinction between “works” and “faith.” A performance based legal system is one that bases righteousness on the performance of the one who works. The faith-based legal system bases righteousness on the performance of God Himself and requires that the receiver place their belief in that fact alone.

Notice that by not performing in order to gain favor with God, we are unable to boast about our performance. The only One we can brag about under the law of faith, is in God Himself. That’s why praise is such a big deal to Christians. God really deserves it and we know it. We don’t need to win God over through praise, God has won us over to Himself by faith.