"In theory,
salvation in Christianity liberates the ends of religious life from the domain of productive activity. But if the faithful's salvation is the reward for his merits, if he can achieve by it his deeds, then he has simply brought more closely into the domain of religion the concatenation that makes useful work wretched in his eyes. Hence those
deeds by which a Christian tries to win his salvation can in turn be considered profanations, even the mere fact of choosing salvation as a goal appears contrary to the truth of grace. Grace alone brings about an accord with the divinity, which cannot be subjected to causal series as
things can. The gift that divinity makes of itself to the faithful soul cannot be paid for."
Georges Bataille The Accursed Share (1988 [1967]) p.121
