- "FOR by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" Ephesians 2:8.
Now, being saved
by grace is a wonderful
thing isn't it?
It is a gift from
God just as Ephesians
2:8 says.
If we were to look
up the word grace
in the dictionary
we would find many
definitions. One
definition that
I especially like
is, "the freely
given, unmerited
favor and love of
God." There are
others also that
I like, "mercy;
clemency; pardon."
So we can see that
grace is unmerited
favor from God to
man. We can not
earn grace or mercy
or pardon, it is
a free gift. Praise
God for that! That
is why it says in
the very next verse,
that we would boast
if we could work
our way to heaven.
"Not of works, lest
any man should boast."
Ephesians 2:9.
- Works
- Now that we have looked at grace, lets look into this word, works. What is works? Will anyone ever be saved by works? Can we work our way to heaven by works? I do not for one minute believe that we will be saved by our works or can work our way to heaven. According to the Bible, we will be judged by our works. Look at this verse:
"And I saw the dead,
small and great,
stand before God;
and the books were
opened: and another
book was opened,
which is the book
of life: and
the dead were judged
out of those things
which were written
in the books, according
to their works."
Revelation 20:12.
So, we can not work
our way to heaven
by our good works,
but we should have
good works, shouldn't
we?
"Let your light
so shine before
men, that they may
see your good works,
and glorify your
Father which is
in heaven."
Matthew 5:16.
The point is, we
cannot work our
way to heaven, but
because we have
been redeemed by
the blood of the
Lamb, we will have
good works - not
to be
saved, but because
we are
saved. If Jesus
Christ is living
and dwelling in
our hearts, we cannot
help but have good
works in our lives,
doing good for others,
helping those less
fortunate than ourselves.
Letting our light
shine before men,
so they will glorify
our Father which
is in heaven. That
is true Christianity.
If we are doing
good for others
so that we will
bring glory to ourselves,
then we have the
wrong motive.
Also, don't forget
that Jesus is going
to reward us according
to our works. This
does not do away
with grace, we are
still saved by grace.
"And, behold, I
come quickly; and
my reward is with
me, to give every
man according as
his work shall be."
Revelation 22:12.
- Faith
- You see, works is very closely associated with faith. If we say we have faith and do not have corresponding works, then do we really have faith?
"What doth it profit,
my brethren, though
a man say he hath
faith, and have
not works? can faith
save him?" James
2:14.
"Even so faith,
if it hath not works,
is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say,
Thou hast faith,
and I have works:
show me thy faith
without thy works,
and I will show
thee my faith by
my works." James
2:17,18.
So, faith without
works is dead. If
we have faith, we
will have corresponding
works. But our works
will not save us,
because we are saved
by grace. But our
works will be judged
and rewarded. So,
as you can see,
works is not a dirty
word as some Christians
would have you believe.
But we have to look
at our motives and
decide if we are
doing things for
the right reasons
or not.
- Obedience
- Another word that Christians sometimes confuse with works is obedience. If I am doing what God has asked me to do by obeying Him, is that works? Look at this most important verse;
"And being made
perfect, he became
the author of eternal
salvation unto all
them that obey him;"
Hebrews 5:9.
So from the looks
of this verse, we
will only receive
salvation, if we
obey God. On the
other hand, if we
do not obey God,
we will not receive
salvation. If I
can only make it
to heaven by obeying
God, why do Christians
sometimes become
upset when it comes
to obedience? That
is a mystery. The
only thing they
can say is, we are
saved by grace,
we cannot earn our
salvation. But is
obeying God, trying
to earn salvation?
Look at this most
solemn verse:
"And to you who
are troubled rest
with us, when the
Lord Jesus shall
be revealed from
heaven with his
mighty angels,
In flaming fire
taking vengeance
on them that know
not God, and that
obey not the gospel
of our Lord Jesus
Christ: Who
shall be punished
with everlasting
destruction from
the presence of
the Lord, and from
the glory of his
power;" 2 Thessalonians
1:7-9.
God is going to
take vengeance on
those who do not
obey the gospel,
these people will
not be going to
heaven... I believe
we should obey the
gospel. We should
do everything that
God has asked us
to do. One way that
we can show our
obedience to God
is by keeping His
10 Commandments.
Jesus made this
very clear from
the following verses:
"And, behold, one
came and said unto
him, Good Master,
what good thing
shall I do, that
I may have eternal
life? And he
said unto him,
Why callest thou
me good? there is
none good but one,
that is, God: but
if thou wilt
enter into life,
keep the commandments.
He saith
unto him, Which?
Jesus said,
Thou shalt do no
murder, Thou shalt
not commit adultery,
Thou shalt not steal,
Thou shalt not bear
false witness,
Honour thy father
and thy mother:
and, Thou shalt
love thy neighbour
as thyself."
Matthew 19:16-19.
If thou will enter
into life, keep
the 10 commandments,
Was Jesus doing
away with grace
and instituting
works? Of course
not. He was simply
stating that in
order to enter heaven,
you have to be a
commandment keeper.
And remember we
keep the commandments
because
we are saved, not
to be
saved.
From
the following verses,
you will see that
by keeping God's
commandments we
show our love to
Him and if we say
we know God and
keep not His commandments
we are liars and
the truth is not
in us.
|
"If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15.
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." 1 John 5:3.
"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 2:3,4.
"And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us." 1 John 3:24.
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12.
|
- In Conclusion
- If we do His commandments, we will have right to the tree of life. People can confuse Revelation 22:14 (see below) with works, but it is pure and simple obedience. It doesn't take anything away from being saved by grace. Obedience and faith and works are the fruits of our conversion. It is an outward sign of our inward heart condition. God will accept nothing less, if you believe He will, you are only fooling yourself. Its really not that complicated, its only when we try to get to heaven on our own terms and go contrary to the Bible that we make it complicated.
We are saved by
grace, not by works
of the law. "Therefore
by the deeds of
the law there shall
no flesh be justified
in his sight: for
by the law is the
knowledge of sin."
Romans 3:20. The
experience of salvation
by grace, however,
results in obedience
to God's law. Works
of faith demonstrate
that Christ's grace
is operating in
the life to bring
us into accord with
the righteous principles
of His law. We are
judged by the law,
the great standard
of righteousness
because Christ's
grace has been made
available as the
power to obey it.
Our works are judged
because grace makes
possible works that
are acceptable to
God.
Obedience is a sign
of our love for
God and our willingness
to render Him true
worship.
"If ye love me,
keep my commandments."
John 14:15.
Obedience through
the power of the
Holy Spirit is not
legalism. "And he
that keepeth his
commandments dwelleth
in him, and he in
him. And hereby
we know that he
abideth in us, by
the Spirit which
he hath given us."
1 John 3:24.
"Blessed are they
that do his commandments,
that they may have
right to the tree
of life, and may
enter in through
the gates into the
city." Revelation
22:14.
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