Not of Works

One of the primary distinctives of Christianity among all other religions is this simple phrase found in Ephesians: "Not of works". And, of course, every good Protestant knows to what that refers: "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). It is not a negotiable point. While every standard human religion includes the necessity that you work your way to heaven, Christianity begins with the simple claim, "You can't." It was largely this sticking point that produced the Reformation. The Roman Catholic church argued that works are necessary for salvation; Luther argued that we are justified by faith. It is still the point on which the Church stands or falls. We are saved by grace apart from works (Rom 3:28).

The unfortunate tendency among many Christians, however, is to therefore shun the idea of works. This occurs in a gamut of perspectives from "works are okay but not important" to "if you mention works you're a legalist offering a different gospel -- anathema!" The latter are antinomians, those who reject any sort of law whatsoever. The former are ... most of the rest of us to some degree.

This is unfortunate ... largely because it is so unbiblical. For instance, immediately following that grand passage of Ephesians 2:8-9 is, strangely enough, Ephesians 2:10. Here Paul writes regarding this salvation which is not of works, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph 2:10). The "for" at the beginning of the sentence indicates a reason. The reason we are gifted with salvation apart from works is so we can meet our purpose of being created ("His workmanship") -- walking in the good works He predestined for us. Sure, we do it as His workmanship, but we do it. Paul warned the Philippians, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling" and gave them the reason for it: "For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to do His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:12-13). James, in fact, differentiates between live faith and dead faith ... based on whether or not the faith is producing works.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 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 is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (James 2:14-17).

In our delight at being saved "not of works", we have a tendency to throw out works and can even deny the necessity of works altogether. But Jesus said, "You are My friends if you do what I command you" (John 15:14). John warned, "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God" (1 John 3:9).

We're all quite pleased that we're saved by grace. We're all delighted that salvation isn't based on what we do. We are vastly relieved to know it's not something we have to earn ... because we are all quite aware that we'll fall short. It's just so good to know that we are saved by faith apart from works. Do not, however, fall into that mistaken idea that, because we we are saved apart from works, that means that our faith is without works. No, works don't earn us salvation. No, works don't even earn us credit in God's eyes. But faith without works is dead. That faith doesn't save. Faith always brings about a changed life. Remember, "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor 5:17). That will include our works.