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“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.
“But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” (James 2:14-24 ESV)
While it is true that we are not saved by our own fleshly works, it is not true that works are not required of us in any way. Yes, not one of us can do anything in our own flesh to earn or to deserve our own salvation. Only by the grace of God, through God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, can any of us be saved from our sins and have the hope of eternal life with God. But we are God’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (see Ephesians 2:8-10).
So, I find in reading the New Testament Scriptures that the word “works” is used in two completely different contexts. One is referring back to the Old Covenant liturgical and ceremonial and dietary laws and customs, including the requirement for circumcision. Some people were trying to add these on to their salvation, and so the message there was that those works would not save them, and that they were not to be a part of their salvation, nor were any works which were of the flesh and not of God and of his grace to us.
But then there are many passages of Scripture, including Ephesians 2:10, which let us know that God has works that he requires that we do as his followers. For our faith in Jesus is not of our own making, but it must align with the teachings of the Scriptures. And the Scriptures teach that faith, which is of God, and is genuine, results in these good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. For faith that is genuine results in the forsaking of our sins and us following our Lord in obedience.
[Tit 2:11-14; Eph 2:10; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 2:1-11; Rom 6:1-23; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 15:58; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 2 Co 9:8; Gal 5:6,16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Phil 2:12-13; Col 1:9-14; 2 Thess 1:11-12; 2 Tim 2:21; Tit 3:8; Jas 2:17; 1 Pet 1:17-21; 1 Peter 2:24; Rev 2:1-29; Rev 3:1-22]
So faith that is of God, and not of the flesh of man, will do the works that God requires that we do, as followers of Jesus Christ. We will deny self and die with Christ to sin, not just once, but daily (in practice), and we will walk in obedience to his New Covenant commands. We will love our neighbors as ourselves, and we will not deliberately and habitually and premeditatedly sin against them nor against God. We will listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and we will go wherever the Lord sends us and do what he says to do.
For, the grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions (desires) and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ gave himself up for us on that cross “to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” “which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)
So, if you are going to live by Ephesians 2:8-9, please add verse 10, for it is all one complete thought. And verses 8-9 are not to be read or believed separately from verse 10. And then study diligently all the New Testament Scriptures where you will learn all that God requires of us who believe in Jesus Christ with God-provided and God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in him. And read everything in context, looking for all the conditions to God’s promises, and also look for his warnings to professers of faith in Christ, too.
Therefore, the faith that comes from God, that is persuaded of God, and that is gifted to us by God, and that is not of our own doing, will result in the works that God has called us to do. These are the “fruit” of our labors which must be evident in our lives in order for us to be those who are of genuine faith in the Lord Jesus. For if we are those who are “fruitless,” then we will not have salvation from sin and eternal life with God. For if sin, and not righteousness, is our practice, we don’t know God, and we will die.
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]
Now pay close attention to what this says next, for this is critical that we get this. “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” So, what’s this saying? It is not enough just to acknowledge the existence of God – Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. Even the demons believe in his existence, and they shudder out of fear of God. And yet so many professing Christians claim to believe in God/Christ, but they don’t have the fear of God at all, and that is a very sad reality.
And largely it is because they are not being taught the fear of God at all, for they are being taught a God who is like a doting grandfather or a genie in the sky there to do everything for them while they feel that they owe him nothing in return. For they are being taught a false grace which provides them with everything while it requires of them nothing other than some fleshly acknowledgement of what Jesus did for us on that cross. But faith without works (of God) is dead. And it will result in death, not life.
Living Water
An Original Work / November 21, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures
My people have forsaken Me,
Their Savior, who died on a tree;
Made idols, and they worshipped them;
So empty, they will ne’er fulfill.
Lord, You are the hope of Your chosen ones.
Those who turn away from You will be shamed;
The Spring of Living Water left behind.
Living Water satisfies.
The thirsty, let them come and drink;
Believe in Jesus as their King;
The gift of Jesus given them,
So they will never thirst again.
Indeed, the Living Water flows within.
It springs up like a fountain cleansing sin.
Eternal life in heaven promised them.
Living Water glorifies.
Oh people, won’t you come to Him?
Obey Him and repent of sin.
Let Jesus come and live within.
Surrender all your life to Him.
My people, won’t you turn your hearts to Me?
Forsake your idols and then you’ll be free.
Won’t you come now to Me on bended knee?
Living Water sanctifies.
