Faith and Works

 

Introduction:

I’m Pete. God loves you!

The topic today: Are we saved by faith, or by obeying the law and doing good works? Which is it? How do we reconcile the verses on the subject that seem to conflict?

(⁸ for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, that no one would boast. Ephesians 2:8-9)

(So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:12)

Let’s explore the Word of God regarding faith and works individually, as well as what it says that reconciles their seeming conflict. To avoid being overwhelmed, let’s just look at a few of the sections that include Abraham, called “The Father of Faith”, and a few others.

 

Verses on Faith:

​¹ After these things Yahweh’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”  ² Abram said, “Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³ Abram said, “Behold, you have given no children to me: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”  ⁴ Behold, Yahweh’s word came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir, but he who will come out of your own body will be your heir.” ⁵ Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So your offspring will be.” ⁶ He believed in Yahweh, who credited it to him for righteousness. ⁷ He said to Abram, “I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it.” Genesis 15:1-7 (Notice it says, “He (Abraham) believed in Yahweh, who credited it to him for righteousness.”) (-Faith)

​¹ Foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you not to obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly portrayed among you as crucified? ² I just want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh? ⁴ Did you suffer so many things in vain, if it is indeed in vain? ⁵ He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you and does miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith? ⁶ Even as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.” ⁷ Know therefore that those who are of faith are children of Abraham. ⁸ The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations will be blessed.” ⁹ So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. ¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.” ¹¹ Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.” ¹² The law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.”  ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,” ¹⁴ that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:1-14

⁸ By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went. ⁹ By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God. ¹¹ By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead. ¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵ If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return. ¹⁶ But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.  ¹⁷ By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son, ¹⁸ to whom it was said, “Your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac,” ¹⁹ concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead. Hebrews 11:8-19

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God. ²⁰ Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.  ²¹ But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; ²² even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction, ²³ for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; ²⁴ being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; ²⁵ whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance; ²⁶ to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:19-26

​¹ What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” ⁴ Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed. ⁵ But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. ⁶ Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works,
⁷ “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
⁸ Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin.” Romans 4:1-8

¹³ For the promise to Abraham and to his offspring that he should be heir of the world wasn’t through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect. ¹⁵ For the law produces wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience. ¹⁶ For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the offspring, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. ¹⁷ As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were. ¹⁸ Besides hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring be.” ¹⁹ Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰ Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God, ²¹ and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform. ²²Therefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.” ²³ Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone, ²⁴ but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead, ²⁵ who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. Romans 4:13-25

 

Verses on Works:

¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone is not willing to work, don’t let him eat.” ¹¹ For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don’t work at all, but are busybodies. ¹² Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they work with quietness and eat their own bread. 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

¹² So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³ You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you. ¹⁶ Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 13:12-17

 

Verses on salvation by grace (unmerited favor) through Faith, with Works too:

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, ¹² instructing us to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we would live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age; ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.  ¹⁵ Say these things and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one despise you. Titus 2:11-15

³⁶ The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all— ³⁷ you yourselves know what happened, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; ³⁸ even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ³⁹ We are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed, hanging him on a tree. ⁴⁰ God raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed, ⁴¹ not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins.” Acts 10:36-43 (-Salvation by Faith. -Jesus’ example of “doing good”. -Faith and Works reconciled)

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. ¹⁸ Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  ¹⁹ You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder. ²⁰ But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead? ²¹ Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? ²² You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected. ²³ So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith. ²⁵ In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers and sent them out another way? ²⁶ For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead. James 2:14-26

 

Conclusion:

We are saved by grace through faith, but faith without works is dead!

Faith has a “so”. We believe in salvation from Hell, and the gracious gift of eternal life in Paradise, through repentance to God and faith in Jesus Christ.

• So, we determine to work for Jesus, likewise caring about the souls of others, and not becoming unresponsive.

• So, we work to meet people where they’re at, work to earn their trust, and work to give them opportunity to repent and be saved through faith in Jesus like we were.

• So, like Jesus, we “go about doing good”. We serve others and each other.

 

Call to Action:

Is your faith “dead”? Is it lacking its “so”? Do you claim to be a Christian, but aren’t doing any work for God’s kingdom? Are you doing some work, but should be doing more? The call to action?: Put your salvation by faith to work! Don’t let your faith be dead!

And, May God Bless You!