- Ephesians 2:8-10
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:8-10)
Remember the first time you learned the truth about the seesaw on the playground? One day your friend jumped off his side without warning—and your side slammed to the ground with a painful <whack>! You’d just received your first lesson on the importance of balance.
What I want to talk to you about today is the critical balance of faith and works. Perhaps you were taught that all the weight should stay on the side of faith. Maybe you grew up suspicious of people who emphasized good works. And by default you decided not only that God doesn’t care much about our works on earth, but also that He won’t hold us accountable for them in heaven.
Unfortunately, this kind of thinking is off balance. True, Jesus teaches that we are not saved by our works. And what an amazing and precious truth that is! In the text for today, Paul wrote about <our faith>:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (vv. 8-9).
But notice what Paul said next about <our work>. Though we aren’t saved by our works, you and I have been created, saved, and set apart specifically “for good works”:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (v. 10)
Paul wanted to make it abundantly clear that both works and faith have their places, and both carry great weight when it comes to God’s plan for our lives.
In fact, together faith and works unlock our eternal future. In <A Life God Rewards>, I describe these two truths as keys. The first key is your belief, or your faith. The second key is your behaviour, or your works.
What you believe about Jesus determines where you will spend eternity—in heaven or in hell. It decides your eternal destination. Jesus said, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life” (John 3:36).
How you behave on earth determines how God will reward you in heaven. Your works decide your eternal compensation (or reward). Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Revelation 22:12).
Compare what these truths mean today for you and everyone you know.
I hope the whole message of the gospel is coming alive for you in a fresh way today. May the light of its truth rid your mind and heart of these two dangerous misconceptions:
1. The misconception that your works can lead to salvation.
Never again confuse God’s reward for your work with His gift of salvation. Whenever the Bible talks about belief, it cannot have anything to do with rewards. And the reverse is also true: Whenever the Bible talks about works, it cannot have anything to do with salvation.
2. The misconception that your works don’t matter.
Never again say, “It’s only what I believe that matters. My works don’t matter to God.” Your works for God matter greatly to Him—and to you!
As you let Jesus’ teachings on salvation and reward change how you think, you’ll experience dramatic and positive changes in how you view the opportunities God gives you each day. You’ll become convinced that there’s a lot more to your life now than just what you believe, and a lot more to your future in heaven than just getting in.
When it comes to what I believe about God’s plan for my life, how have my beliefs been out of balance? How will getting them back in balance change my life?
“For a man cannot profit God… But though we are unprofitable to him, our serving him is not unprofitable to us.” (John Wesley)
Bruce Wilkinson
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