SAVED BY WORKS
INTRODUCTION:
Eph. 2:8-9.
1. There is much confusion today about the exact
relationship of grace, faith, law, and works.
1) But, there is really no need for the
confusion if we rely upon the Scriptures.
2) It’s when people make use of denominational
creeds and/or catechisms that the confusion arises.
2. We want to focus on the expression “not of
works” because that is the source of a good bit of the confusion.
1) For
instance, the Protestant position (at least among Calvinists, and some
others) is:
1- We are saved by grace only through faith
only, in Christ only.
2- Faith is actually given to men
rather than them actively having faith.
God must be sovereign and man must be totally impotent.
3- So, all human beings are completely
passive in the salvation process.
2) The Roman Catholic position is that grace
is dispensed through the sacraments.
And, works are no problem to them as a result.
1- Mass;
2- Penance;
3- Baptism;
4- Marriage; etc.
3. Let’s notice that, in the text we have read:
1) Salvation is by God’s grace;
2) Salvation is by our faith;
3) Salvation is a gift; and
4) Salvation is “not of works.”
I. WORKS
CLASSIFIED.
1. The Bible teaches that we are justified by
works and that we are not justified by works.
1) We are justified by works:
24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by
faith alone.
James
2:24 (NASB)
2) We are not justified by works.
5 In the same way then, there has also come to be at
the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on
the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. Romans
11:5-6 (NASB)
3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed
God , and it was credited to him
as righteousness." 4 Now to the one
who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but
believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as
righteousness, 6 just as David also
speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from
works:
Romans
4:3-6 (NASB)
2. Now, either the Bible is hopelessly
contradictory beyond repair, or we have a Bible paradox where we have only an
apparent contradiction.
1) The seeming contradiction is solved if we
understand that the Bible describes several different types of works.
1- There are works that are completely excluded
from our salvation; but,
2- There are works that are included in--and
necessary for--our salvation.
2) Now, a “work” (from the Greek energeia,
from which we get the word energy
and energize) is simply something that is done.
1- We all remember the famous “energizer bunny”
commercials. The commercial was trying
to demonstrate the superiority of one type of battery over another type.
2- If we had a flashlight powered by a battery
with energy, it would “work,” but if the battery had no energy, the flashlight
would not “work.”
3- So, if works are necessary for salvation,
then man is not passive in his response to God, but rather, he is active in
that he does something in order to respond.
4- The truly interesting thing is that those who
opposed “works” of any kind in reference to our salvation, do this primarily to
exclude baptism (which, they say, is a work).
5- However, it is a very strange sort of work,
because man is completely passive in receiving baptism at the hands of another
who is actually doing the work (unless, of course, we say that our decision is
a work).
6- If we develop faith, repent of our sins, and
confess Christ as Lord, we have actively done those things. Thus, we have engaged in “works” that are
included in reference to our salvation.
3. So, let’s classify the works of the Bible.
1) First, we will look at works
that are excluded in human salvation. In
other words, these works do not justify any person.
1- There are works of the flesh (this is
obvious, but since this is a type of “work,” it has to be mentioned):
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:
adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of
wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries,
and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time
past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians
5:19-21 (NKJV)
2- There are works of self-righteousness, or,
human devising.
3 For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking
to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of
God. Romans
10:3 (NASB)
4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior
toward man appeared, 5 not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us,
through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Titus
3:4-5 (NKJV)
3- There are works of law--any law.
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be
justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20
(NASB)
28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith
apart from works of the Law.
Romans
3:28 (NASB)
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not
pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is
by faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing a law
of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.
32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were
by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
Romans
9:30-32 (NASB)
4- And, there are works of human merit:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians
2:8-9 (NASB)
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our
Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel
according to the power of God, 9 who has
saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but
according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from
all eternity,
2
Timothy 1:8-9 (NASB)
5- These are works that have absolutely nothing
to do with my salvation or the salvation of any other human being. We are not justified by works like
these!
2) Second, let’s now look at works
that are included in my salvation and yours.
1- First of all, even faith is a work, because
the Lord said so and because it is something that you and I do. Remember, a work is something that we do.
28 Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do,
so that we may work the works of God?"
29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that
you believe in Him whom He has sent."
John
6:28-29 (NASB)
2- Second, notice that there are works connected
with our salvation mentioned prominently in Scripture.
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth
I perceive that God shows no partiality.
35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is
accepted by Him. Acts
10:34-35 (NKJV)
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed,
not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling;
Philippians
2:12 (NKJV)
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to
what he has done, whether good or bad.
2
Corinthians 5:10 (NKJV)
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord,
what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go
into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
Acts
9:6 (NKJV)
3) Third, then what are we to do
in order to be saved?
1- We must obey the will of the Lord.
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is
in heaven will enter. 22 "Many
will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in
Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I
never knew you; Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness Matthew 7:21-23
46 "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not
do what I say?
Luke 6:46
16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to
someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey,
either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in
righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God
that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that
form of teaching to which you were committed,
18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of
righteousness. Romans 6:16-18
CONCLUSION
1. We must work the works of righteousness when
it comes to pleasing God.
2. To keep them from being works of
self-righteousness, we need to remember that nothing we do can put God in our
debt. We are always saved only by God’s
grace and mercy.
3. I have always attempted to get brethren to
noticce an extremely important passage that teaches this truth:
10 "So you too, when you do all the things which
are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which
we ought to have done.' "
Luke
17:10 (NASB)
10 So you also, when you have done all that you were
commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy
servants; we have only done what was our
duty.’ ”
Luke
17:10 (ESV)
4. If we kept every commandment that God has
given to us without missing a single one, or a single time, then we have merely
done what we were supposed to do in the first place.
1) This does absolutely nothing to put God in
our debt, whereby He owes us anything!
2) However, it demonstrates our love for the
Lord because we have submitted our wills to His, and in so doing, we have
relied upon His grace for our redemption.
This is the only possible way for any of us to be saved!
Dick Sztanyo
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