SAVED for Good Works
When it comes to Christianity, many people have a false idea. They are led to believe that we are saved by our good works. In other words, they think: “if I just do enough good, and show enough kindness and charity, God will see my heart and he will accept me for having tried my best”.
Not by Works
But the Bible’s teaching is clear. Paul said it clearly in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV11)
Not by works! Good works cannot save us. In fact hear these words from JN Short, in an article from an old Nazarene magazine. He wrote: “To practice good works as far as a man can in his natural state is a good thing for society. It is a good thing for the man himself, as it keeps him from developing in wickedness. But it does not make him pure and right in his relations with God. And by this process he never comes to know God and to have the Holy Spirit to witness to his sonship.”
Saved for Good Works
God’s salvation is not a result of you showing how committed you are, how loving and kind you are, how generous you, how religious you are, how anything you are. God saves us, not by our good works, but only by His grace. It’s a gift that we receive by believing, not by earning it.
However, though we are not saved by good works, we are saved for good works! In fact right after saying that we aren’t saved by good works, Paul says what we read yesterday: “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV11)
Shine His Light
Let me say it again: we are not saved by good works – that’s a gift from God. But we are saved for good works. Once we are saved by His grace, we do good with all our hearts, because He has already changed our lives.
A young man heard the gospel and accepted Christ. A little while later his minister asked him: “What have you done for Christ since you believed?” He replied: “Oh, I’m still just a learner.”
“Well,” the minister said, “when you light a candle do you light it to make the candle more comfortable, or to have it give light?”
“To give light” the young man replied.
“Do you expect it to give light after it is half burned, or when you first light it?”
He replied, “As soon as I light it.”
“Very well,” was the reply, “go and do likewise; begin at once.”
You’re saved by grace, but you’re saved for good works – to shine His light. Go out and live the saved life by doing good every day in the name of Jesus.
