Works Authenticate Faith

Church Family: Don’t you love it when someone else’s faith produces some good works and sends them your way? I love seeing and hearing people in our church actively working goodness in the lives of others and around our community. It makes me happy. But it makes God so much happier! In fact, God expects good works to be flowing from our faith.

God created us for good works in Jesus Christ and those good works were planned by God before the creation of the world (Ephesians 2:10). So, if God planned good works for you to do and the day comes for you to do them and you fail to do them that is sin ((James 4:17). If our faith continually fails to produce good works, then that is evidence that our faith is not real (Romans 2:6-11). Producing good works is a serious matter. The consequences of a life without good works are eternal, either “eternal life” or “wrath and fury.”
 
Let’s pause for a second and clarify that the death of Christ in my place, and God justifying me as righteousness, is the basis of the gift of my eternal life, not any work that I will ever do. In other words, works do not save me, only the gospel of Jesus Christ, by God’s grace, saves me from God's wrath. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ changes me to my core. And then that change must start my heart to desire a life of enduring good works. And those works produced from my faith are then evidence of my saving faith in Christ. Therefore, the faith I have received by grace, through the work of Jesus Christ, is authenticated by my works. And then as Romans 2:6, says, "God will repay me according to me works."
 
This Romans 2:6, phrase does not contradict the gospel. Instead, it declares that my good works are an infallible sign of the authenticity of my faith. My good works don’t deserve God’s favor but they do demonstrate His favor. My good works do not earn salvation but they do reveal that I have salvation.
 
The gift of faith that God has given you must produce good works. Your works will determine the authenticity of your faith. Show the world your faith by your works (James 2:18) because faith without works is dead (James 2:17). What good works has God called you today? What good works is God putting in front of you today to exercise your faith and glorify Him?