Salvation from sin to righteousness is by grace, which is through faith, which comes by hearing the rhema (utterance or leading) of God. God leads. Faith comes and gives access to grace. Grace says God’s words and does God’s acts through us if we will yield ourselves to His righteousness. As God does this work in us and we stop fighting against Him, He is planting the seed of the Word (Christ) continually into our hearts until Christ is fully formed in us and the fleshly nature has been eliminated. False religion seeks to self-generate works, truth, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and every other benefit God gives. Humanity has no capacity to self-generate any of these. They are only available in Christ.