So-called main stream
evangelical Christianity has and continues to preach that we are “saved by grace not by works.” The
Scripture passage often cited is Ephesians 2:9 which reads, “For by grace
you have been saved through faith. And
this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so
that no one may boast.” Using this verse alone we
can see that there is a natural and logical conclusion for the underlying
supposition that we are saved by “faith only.” However, taking a single verse
out of context is not how to properly interpret the original intent and meaning
of the Scriptures. Let’s read on in
Ephesians and look at verse 10:
“For we are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.“
Let’s reconcile these
two verses as they were originally intended to be understood. It is true that
without God’s grace we would still be in our sins. Accepting God’s grace is the
first step that must take place. We cannot earn our righteousness, however, through
this grace should come a natural outpouring of “good works” which we were
created to do in Christ. Otherwise, we can run the risk of losing the grace we
were offered. Jesus himself on
multiple occasions alluded to the fact that we will be judged by our works. For
example, in Matthew 25 the parable of the Talents shows the importance of using
our gifts for the Lord and the dangers of doing nothing. Jesus immediately
follows this parable with an explanation of the final judgment in verses 31-46 where
he clearly indicates that we will be judged by our service to him and sharing
his love with others in a tangible way. Those who have not demonstrated “good
works” of gratitude for the grace they have been offered will not receive an eternal
reward. “And these will go away into eternal
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matt. 25:46)
The grace God has offered
us is not by our works but by the works of Jesus going to the cross in our
place. We do not deserve it. We could never earn the grace offered. However, the
fruit of our lives or “good works” are in gratitude for that grace and will
determine if we keep what God has offered.
In James 2:14-26 we see
some additional insight regarding the relationship between our faith and our
works of service. What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith
but does not have works? Can that faith save him? The implied answer to
this questions is, “no” faith alone cannot save. If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in
daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be
warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[a] is that? So
also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
What good is a dead
faith? Can it save? Again the answer, “No.” But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”
Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my
works. The matter of our righteousness
and salvation is not a matter of one or the other but of both faith and works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons
believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish
person, that faith apart from works is useless?
Perhaps the most
misunderstood and misused verse in the New Testament is John 3:16 where so many
preach that we only need to believe and nothing else. The verse in James 2:19
printed above shatters the popular idea that John 3:16 is the whole of the
salvation process. Even demons believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God
but it does them no good. Belief alone is not sufficient to become righteous
and saved. Belief is a critical first step but it is not the only step needed
to become righteous. There is more! A couple of verses
later we see that works are mentioned as part of the process. “For everyone who
does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his
works should be exposed. But whoever
does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his
works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:20-21)
Let’s return to James
2:21-26 as we consider further the relationship of faith and works in the
salvation process. Was not Abraham our father justified
by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You
see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his
works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham
believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a
friend of God You see that a person is justified by works
and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also
Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and
sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the
spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. James uses the Old
Testament example of Abraham to show the relationship of works to our faith. Abraham
believed God and was righteous in his eyes because his works demonstrated the
reality of his faith.
Regarding the popular “faith only”
doctrine that permeates much of so-called Christianity there is only one verse
in the entire New Testament that has the phrase “faith only” or “faith alone”
and it is this verse in James 2:24 yet it says “…that a person is justified
by works and not faith alone.”
Did you catch that, “not faith alone”?
We are saved by the
wonderful grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot earn it or deserve it. Without
His mercy and grace we are still in our sins and without hope. God offers each
of us a wonderful gift but as with any gift we receive, it is only ours as long
as we take care of it and keep it. It can be lost! Producing fruit worthy of our repentance and
doing good works of gratitude for what Jesus has graciously done for us is what
keeps us in good standing and righteous in God’s eyes. Fan into flame the
tremendous grace God has given you with works of gratitude so that when you
face God you may hear those wonderful words, “Well done good and faithful servant”.
All
scripture verses are from the ESV Bible.
