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1. The Jews inquired as though there were several works of God. Christ narrows down the terms of salvation to a single one.

2. In this as in many incidental ways our Lord teaches His Divinity. Imagine Paul or David resting the destiny of the soul on faith in himself.

3. The belief is natural to man that something must be done in order to salvation. The most supine expect to have to rouse themselves some day. Let us examine —

I. THE COMMON NOTION UNDERLYING THE QUESTION. When a man begins to think of God and his relations to Him, he finds he owes Him service and obedience. His first spontaneous impulse, therefore, is to begin the performance of the work he has hitherto neglected. The law expressly affirms that the man who doeth these things shall live by them. He proposes to take the law just as it stands and to live by service.

II. THE GROUND AND REASON OF CHRIST'S ANSWER.

1. Because it is too late in any case to adopt the method of salvation by works. The law demands and supposes that obedience begins at the very beginning of existence, and continues down uninterruptedly to the end of it (Galatians 5:3). If any man can show a clean record, the law gives him the reward he has earned (Romans 4:4; Romans 11:6). But no man can do this (Psalm 58:3; Ephesians 2:3).

2. This is the conclusive ground for Christ's declaration that the one great work which every fallen man must perform in order to salvation is faith in another work.

III. THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION BY FAITH.

1. Faith is a work, a mental act of the most comprehensive and energetic species. It carries the whole man in it, heart, head, will, body, soul, spirit.

2. Yet it is not a work in the common signification, and is by Paul opposed to works, and excluded from them. It is wholly occupied with another's work. The believer deserts all his own doings, and betakes himself to what a third person has done for him, and instead of holding up prayers, almsgiving, penances, or moral efforts, he holds up the sacrificial work of Christ.

3. St. John repeats this doctrine in his first epistle (1John 3:22, 33). The whole duty of sinful man is here summed up and concentrated in the duty to trust in another person than himself and in another work than his own. In the matter of salvation, when there is faith in Christ there is every. thing; and where there is not faith in Christ there is nothing.Conclusion:

1. Faith in Christ is the appointment of God as the sole means of salvation (Acts 4:12).

2. There are enjoyments in the human conscience that can be supplied by no other method.

(1)  The soul wants peace. Christ's atonement satisfies the demands of a broken law.

(2)  The soul wants purity. The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin.

(Prof. Shedd.)

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KJV: Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

WEB: They said therefore to him, "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?"