That salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone is made crystal clear in John 3:16-18. Whether one attributes the words to Jesus (as the ESV does) or whether one attributes the words to John (as the NIV does) is irrelevant. They’re not Paul’s words, they’re either the words of Jesus or the words of John (and some would assert that if so, John spoke as he was moved by God Himself).
Regardless, it clearly says that the one believing (the word in Greek means confidence or trust) in Jesus will not perish but have everlasting life, and that the one believing in Jesus is not condemned. Period. Any claim that “someone who believes in Jesus but isn’t doing works is not saved” flatly contradicts this passage ~ which is considered to be the Gospel in a nutshell.
It goes on to say that the unbeliever is condemned already. Why is that…? It’s clearly not because he has failed to do required works ~ but “because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Seems crystal clear that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone.
