Saved By Faith For Good Works

Church Family: The question has been asked several times over the last few months, "Can you be a Christian without producing good works?" As we have been going through the book of Romans, it has been very clear that faith alone is the condition of salvation. But what about works? This Sunday, we will specifically answer this question.

To understand where good works fit into the Christian life we must remember that there is a difference between the condition of our salvation and the consequences of our salvation. The condition of our salvation is the free grace gift of faith where Christ’s righteousness is reckoned to us. In other words, salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. But wait, that is not the end of our salvation. There are consequences of our salvation and one of those is doing good works. We are not saved by good works, we are saved for good works. Faith that has truly saved you will be doing good works. If your faith does not start doing good works then it is not saving faith.

Paul, tells us in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his (God the Father) workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” This is the same Paul who wrote in Romans that salvation is by faith alone. He is now saying that we who are saved are God’s workmanship created for good works. God has ordained from before Creation that you will be obedient to do very specific good works. Paul also says in Galatians 5:6, that Christ expects our "faith to be working through love." So, wait a minute. Here is an opportunity to self-assess if your faith is true faith. Are you seeking and doing the good works that God has ordained you to do?

Now let's look at the book of James. James does not mix any words on the issue of faith producing good works. In James 2:14, 17, he writes “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James agrees with Paul, faith that does not produce good works is not saving faith.

The Bible does not contradict itself. It clarifies itself. The Bible clearly teaches that faith alone unites us to Christ for righteousness and that faith that unites us to Christ for righteousness does not remain alone but it vigorously produces loving good works.

Is your saving faith producing loving good works? What are they? Can others see your good works and rejoice? We must be showing forth our faith by our good works. (James 2:18)