I have written a number of times about the fact that works are more done as a result of our justification and not to in some way gain justification. I have to remember that as a follower of Christ, I have already been justified and as a result, I have work to do for God, not as repayment for my justification, but I am now part of the family and I am responsible for work in the family.
“8The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.” — Titus 3:8 (ESV)
I notice in the above verse in the letter from Paul to Titus, “those who have believed in God” will “devote themselves to good works”. Paul does not say that the good works guide them in their believing, but that they have already believed and now will do the good works. It is those who were justified that will be compelled to do the good works. We do nothing in the way of works to gain justification, that comes from simply accepting Christ as our Savior and fully believing in Him.
“4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” — Titus 3:4-7 (ESV)
We are saved “according to his own mercy” and not by the works that we do. I can give to all the charities, feed all of the homeless, adopt all the children, build homes and hospitals and yet without acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Savior, I will still not be justified. With that acceptance, I will not be in the business of gaining something from my giving, I will simply be giving as a part of my role as a member of the family of God.
I have said that my wife and I like to watch television series and we just started another, “New Amsterdam”, that really tugs on our heart strings. In one episode, there was a father and daughter seeking help for the ailing daughter. She needed a lung transplant and of course the father was willing to give for his daughter. He was however not a match for her yet was a match for another in the hospital. He was informed that if he gave, the hospital would do everything they could to find a donor for his daughter, and he agreed. As the episode unfolded, it turned out that the daughter was not strong enough in the moment to go through the surgery. That did not deter the father one bit. He agreed to give even expecting nothing in return. In the end the daughter did receive the transplant and all was well, but the story here is about the giving of the father, not to gain something, but to give.
There is a lot to unpack in the above, but I will simply leave it here. I have to remember to be like the father and know that I have already received my reward from Christ thanks to my acceptance of Jesus as my Savior. I have been justified already and now it is time for me to give, not to gain, but because I have received.
What are you doing as works in the world? Are you doing works to gain something? What if you accepted Christ and the justification that comes with salvation and then did works to simply give?
Trevor's Thoughts 