14th February 2022
Grace that works
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?
James 2:14 (NIV)
The way we live our life, the way we behave, both in private and public, is an expression of our character. As a Christian, who we are, our Christian character, derives from grace. It all begins with grace, but grace doesn’t permit us to live any lifestyle we choose; it always produces good works. To say that we have grace without works, is to deceive ourselves.
In his letter to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul writes: ‘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).
Paul is emphasising here that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works. It’s not what we do that saves us: it’s what Jesus Christ has done through his all-sufficient, once-and-for-all sacrifice that provides our salvation. If this were not the case then we could boast that the reason we’ve been saved is because of the good works that we have carried out.
But grace and faith doesn’t stop at the end of verse 9 – this is not the end of the story. Paul goes on to say in verse 10: ‘For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ So, we are saved by grace, but that grace produces good works. Again, it’s not our works that save us, rather they are the evidence that we have been saved by grace.
In another letter Paul writes, ‘For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.’ (Titus 2:11-14).
Paul speaks in these verses of ‘the grace of God’ and he goes on to say that this grace ‘teaches us’ something: it teaches us how to live, saying ‘no’ to ‘ungodliness and worldly passions’ and by implication ‘yes’ to living ‘self-controlled, upright and godly lives…eager to do what is good.’
The foundation of our Christian character then is Christ. First, it is his work on the cross. He ‘gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own’. Second, it is lived in the light of his return, ‘we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ’.
The things we do and the way we live should be governed by the first and the second advent (coming) of Christ. Grace comes first, but it is a grace that works in us to produce good works – it is a grace that works.
Prayer
Father, thank you for saving us through your amazing grace. Help us now to live for you as your handiwork. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Study by Barry Robinson
About the writer:
Barry Robinson is a Minister in Grace Communion International and Regional Pastor for Southern England.
Local congregation:
Grace Communion International Camberwell
The Salvation Army Hall
105 Lomond Grove
Camberwell
London
SE5 7HN
Meeting time:
Saturday 11 am
Local congregational contact:
Barry Robinson
Email: camberwell@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church