Lutheran Vocational Evangelism

(Giving An Answer - About Good Works)

So one church says that you are saved by faith and good works and another church says you are saved by faith and making a decision for Jesus. Both of these churches are saying the same thing that is that it is not faith alone that saves a person but faith plus something added. Now we understand that when it comes to the gifts of God He does not do fractions or math. He does not say I will give you some of my gifts now and more later on certain conditions. No, God gives us the whole lot of His gifts and a whole lot more. Nor does God do addition such as faith plus anything will save you. As we learn in math class, zero plus anything is the anything, no longer the zero. So it is with God’s grace, which is gift. Grace, faith, plus anything is no longer grace and faith, but the anything, be that the works or the decision, which is a work.

As God tells us through the Apostle Paul, “8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10). Our works are a result and sign of faith which God works in and through us, thus not only is our faith a gift from God so are our works. Both faith and works flow from outside of us and point to Jesus. To point to self is to negate the gift God gives. This pointing to self would be like one being given a present and claiming that they had something to do with getting the present that is no gift but earned reward.

Let us not confuse good works in God’s eyes that are not the same as civil righteousness which might be done by anyone but is done for the good of all and normally points to the one doing the good work. Civil good works are good and important but do not flow from faith which is why it is not a good work in God’s eyes. Good works that are truly good works are motivated by God, worked in and through us by God and are done to His glory.

 God gives and we are given to and we rejoice with thanks and praise as He moves us to give thanks and praise. And because our good works flow from faith, very often we are not even aware when we do a good work.

42 of 52    © Rev. Dr. Ronald A. Bogs (2018)