Theoretically, a person can save himself.  Why do I say that?  Because sin is not something we have to do, nor is it a state of being we are born into as Calvinism teaches.  Ecclesiastes 7:29 tells us that God created man upright.  He also created us with free will.  The Bible tells us that man is created in the likeness of God (Genesis 1:26; James 3:9).  What does this mean?  It means when we sin it is a choice, not something we have to do.  Theoretically, then, a person could always choose to do right.

Practically, a person cannot save himself.  Why do I say that?  Because of all of the people who have ever been born into this world, only one man, our Savior, Jesus Christ, has lived without sinning.  Everyone else has succumbed to the temptation of the flesh just as our first parents, Adam and Eve, did.  David acknowledged this in his day.

Psalm 14:2–3 (ESV)
² The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.  ³ They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

Notice that David did not say that everyone was born corrupt, but that they became corrupt, meaning they caved in to the temptation of sin.  In Romans 3:10, Paul quoted David showing that it was still true in his day, and then he added “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  The epistle of 1 John confirms that such will be the case as long as this world stands.

1 John 1:8–10 (ESV)
⁸ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

While God did not create us sinners, and while no one can force us to sin, we all eventually succumb to its allurement.  Once that happens, we can no longer save ourselves, practically or theoretically.  One sin takes the power of salvation out of our hands forever.  Now we must rely on the grace of God to be saved.  

Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV)
⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

We are saved by grace through faith.  Grace is God’s part and faith is our part.  The combination of grace and faith leads to salvation which Paul calls a gift of God.  Some erroneously conclude that the gift that Paul speaks of is faith that God miraculously gives to us through an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  There is nothing in this text that speaks of any such thing.  Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17).  When a person hears the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16), and obeys it (Romans 6:17-18), he is saved from his sins by the grace of God.

The “works” that Paul refers to in Ephesians 2:9  is not a reference to obedience to God but to works of the law.  The law demanded sinless living since it could not set man free from sin (Acts 13:38-39).  If anyone did live without sin, which we have already seen is practically impossible, he could boast about his perfect work.  No one but Jesus has ever been in this position.  All have sinned, which means salvation can now only come by grace, making boasting impossible.

Some are still trying to save themselves by their work.  The majority of Jews in Paul’s day were lost because of this (Romans 9:30-32).  They rejected Jesus while trying to save themselves by the law.  There are others today who think they will be saved because they have done more good than bad, showing that they think they are saving themselves apart from God’s grace.  They are wrong, and until they accept Jesus as their Savior, they are lost.  Are you trying to save yourself by the meritorious work of perfect law-keeping?  If so, get out of God’s way by obeying the gospel and be saved by grace.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.