But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The most striking part of this verse is Paul's insistence that grace and works are mutually exclusive. If salvation is by grace, it cannot be by works, otherwise, the very definition of grace—as an unearned gift—is destroyed.
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is discussing how God has not abandoned Israel, referencing the faithful remnant in Elijah's time as proof. He emphasizes that this remnant exists "according to the election of grace," not by their own merit. This leads him to a crucial point: salvation, whether referring to the remnant's calling or God's overall plan, must be either by grace or by works, never a mixture of both, because those two concepts are fundamentally opposed.
Have you ever tried to 'earn' God's favor or felt like your good deeds should count for something spiritual? This verse cuts straight to the heart of that idea.
Paul is making a clear and bold statement here: salvation, whether it's God choosing a remnant (as in the context of Romans 11) or any other aspect of our spiritual standing, cannot be a mixture of grace and works. It has to be one or the other.
What does Paul mean when he says 'otherwise grace would no longer be grace'? It sounds dramatic, but it reveals something fundamental about God.
The core of this verse lies in the absolute incompatibility of grace and works as co-equal bases for salvation. Paul uses the word 'otherwise' (or 'else,' 'for') to show the logical consequence if we try to mix them.
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Understand the original words
charis · Greek Noun
Unmerited favor and divine enablement provided by God to undeserving sinners, whereby He grants salvation and righteous standing through faith alone, apart from human merit.
ergon · Greek Noun
Human efforts or deeds performed in an attempt to earn justification or divine approval, which are fundamentally contrasted with the free gift of grace in the biblical doctrine of salvation.
This verse's power is amplified by recalling Elijah's time, when a nation seemed lost to idolatry. God's quiet reassurance to Elijah that a faithful remnant existed helps us grasp Paul's point: God's saving grace isn't earned by human effort, but is a sovereign choice that preserves a people even when they appear to be cast aside.
c. 875 BC
Reign of Ahab and widespread Baal worship
During this period, King Ahab's reign saw Israel fall into extreme idolatry, with Baal worship becoming pervasive. This set the stage for Elijah's confrontation with God.
c. 870 BC
Elijah's confrontation on Mount Carmel
Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, leading to a miraculous display of God's power and the subsequent slaughter of the false prophets. This event highlighted the deep apostasy of Israel.
c. 870 BC
Elijah flees and despairs
After his victory, Elijah fled from Queen Jezebel and, in despair, cried out to God that he was the only one left who remained faithful, wishing for his own death.
c. 870 BC— this verse
God reveals the faithful remnant
God responded to Elijah's despair by revealing that He had reserved seven thousand faithful Israelites who had not bowed to Baal, showing that God's purposes continued despite appearances.
c. AD 55-60
Paul writes Romans in Corinth
The Apostle Paul penned his letter to the Romans, likely during a stay in Corinth, articulating profound theological truths about God's plan for both Jews and Gentiles.
This passage directly parallels Romans 11:6 by arguing that if salvation is by works, it's earned, not a gift, but if it's by grace, it can't be earned by works, highlighting the inherent contradiction of mixing the two.
Ephesians 2:8-9Paul explicitly states that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works, reinforcing the core message of Romans 11:6 that grace and works are mutually exclusive as the basis for salvation.
Galatians 3:18This verse challenges the idea that an inheritance could come by law (works), arguing that it must come by promise (grace), which is the same foundational principle Paul uses in Romans 11:6 to distinguish grace from works.
Titus 3:5This verse teaches that God saved us 'not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy,' directly supporting the idea in Romans 11:6 that grace is entirely separate from human merit or deeds.
ellicottRomans 11:6: "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work."
(6) And if by grace. —The true text of this verse differs considerably from that which is translated in the Authorised version, “But if by grace, then is it no more of works, otherwise grace is no more seen to be grace.” The preservation of the remnant cannot be due to grace and works at the same time; it must be due to o…
cambridgeRomans 11:6: "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work."
6 . And if by grace , &c.] This verse is wholly parenthetical. Not that its statement is alien to the whole argument, but this is not its logical place. The argument is continuous between Romans 11:5 ; Romans 11:7 ; but St Paul is so desirous to make the truth of Gratuitous Salvation perfectly clear and familiar that he s…
The most striking part of this verse is Paul's insistence that grace and works are mutually exclusive. If salvation is by grace, it cannot be by works, otherwise, the very definition of grace—as an unearned gift—is destroyed.
Paul is discussing how God has not abandoned Israel, referencing the faithful remnant in Elijah's time as proof. He emphasizes that this remnant exists "according to the election of grace," not by their own merit. This leads him to a crucial point: salvation, whether referring to the remnant's calling or God's overall plan, must be either by grace or by works, never a mixture of both, because those two concepts are fundamentally opposed.
Paul is discussing how God has not abandoned Israel, referencing the faithful remnant in Elijah's time as proof. He emphasizes that this remnant exists "according to the election of grace," not by their own merit. This leads him to a crucial point: salvation, whether referring to the remnant's calling or God's overall plan, must be either by grace or by works, never a mixture of both, because those two concepts are fundamentally opposed.
"But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace." — The most striking part of this verse is Paul's insistence that grace and works are mutually exclusive. If salvation is by grace, it cannot be by works, otherwise, the very definition of grace—as an…
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Last reviewed October 2026