“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. 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? 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.” (James 2:18-24 ESV)
I see in the Scriptures two categories of “works.”
The first type of works is of the flesh of humans, of our own choosing, and these can be “good works” that we are doing in the flesh, which we may be doing to try to earn our salvation. Or they can be evil and sinful works such as lying, cheating, stealing, committing adultery, sexual immorality, hatred, violence, and the like. But “Good works” done in the flesh do not earn us salvation from sin nor eternal life with God. And if we are making these sinful practices our works, then eternal life with God is not ours.
[Ephesians 2:8-9; Ephesians 4:17-19; Galatians 5:6,19-21; Matthew 7:22; John 3:19-20; John 7:7; Romans 3:20-28; Romans 9:32; Romans 11:6]
The second category of works is that which comes from God: For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
[Titus 2:11-14; Titus 3:8; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:20-24; 1 Corinthians 15:58; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Galatians 5:22-24; Philippians 2:12-13; James 2:14-26; Colossians 1:9-14; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; 2 Timothy 2:21]
And we are all going to be judged by God according to our works:
“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” (Romans 2:6-8 ESV)
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]
So, to sum it up, not all works are bad and to be rejected. Only the works of the flesh, which can be sinful practices, or which can be “good works” of the flesh, are to be discarded. For we are called of God to do the works of God which he prepared in advance that we should walk in them. So, we need to learn to discern between works of the flesh and those of God which he commands that we are to do as his followers and as a testament that the faith we claim to possess is indeed genuine God-provided faith in Jesus.
So, if our faith in Jesus Christ is genuine God-gifted and God-persuaded faith, which results in us dying with Christ to sin and us now walking in obedience to his commands, then these works of God are going to be what our faith produces, which is what proves our faith to be genuine. For if you read the “Faith Chapter” of the Bible, i.e. Hebrews 11, you will read that “by faith” Noah built an ark, and “by faith” Abraham obeyed God, and “by faith” Moses chose to be mistreated with the people of God, and on it goes.
And then look at this. So many people claim that James’ teachings on faith and works contradicts what the apostle Paul taught. But scroll back up to the list of verses which talk about the works required of God (not a complete list) and I think that you will find that most or all were penned by Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Paul, more than anyone, stressed the importance of faith and works working together and that our works are what prove our faith to be genuine or not. He taught faith without works is dead.
But we need to differentiate between works done in the flesh and the works of God which he prepared in advance that we should walk in them. We need to see the difference between fleshly works done to try to earn points with God and works coming from God being lived out in our lives as evidence that saving faith literally exists in our lives. And this is why it is critical that we not cut verse 10 out of Ephesians 2:8-10 and that we not focus only on verses 8-9. For verse 10 is critical to us understanding the full picture.
So, just giving lip service to the Lord is not going to assure us salvation from all sin and heaven as our eternal destiny. We must die with Christ to sin, not just once, but daily (by the Spirit), and we must walk in obedience to our Lord in doing the works which he planned in advance that we should walk in them. And the New Testament Scriptures (especially the writings of Paul) spell out for us what those works are that God requires of us. And the genuine forsaking of our sins and walks of obedience to God are on top.
Oceans
Songwriters: Joel Houston / Matt Crocker / Salomon Lighthelm
You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep my faith will stand
Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
And I will call upon Your Name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw
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