In Romans chapters 2 - 5, Paul seems to contradict himself when he's teaching how we are justified. Are we saved by grace, or are we saved by our works? Here's what I've learned, in a nutshell:
2 Nephi 25:23 "...it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."
Romans 2:13 "...the doers of the law shall be justified."
Romans 3:24 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
Obviously there are a lot more scriptures on this topic. What I want to point out is, it is by the gift of grace that man can be saved. Justification means that our proper relationship with God is restored, because no unclean thing can dwell with God. There is no person that could earn salvation (or justification), except Jesus Christ, for He is the only person that has lived a sinless life. The gift of grace makes our justification possible - through faith on Jesus Christ, we can repent of our sins and be forgiven. When we truly repent, our sins will be wiped away, and we will be able to dwell with God because of grace.
What about works? Paul also said that "the doers of the law shall be justified." If we are saved by grace, then it shouldn't matter what we "do" - right? Wrong! Remember, no unclean thing can dwell with God! Faith is a principle of action. When we have true faith, we will act in ways that align our actions with God's will. As we strive to become like Him, we will repent of our sins, and that allows grace to take effect in our lives.
This is a lot harder for me to explain that I thought it would be. It all makes sense in my head, but I'm afraid that the words don't come out right.
For the rest of this assignment, I focused on Romans 4:17-25, and Romans 5:12-14. I would encourage you to read those verses as well, and ponder how they apply to your own life.
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