Faith and Works (Pt 1)

All human beings have the same problem—sin.  The apostle Paul declared, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23.)  We have done many things contrary to the will of God and as such stand condemned before Him.  We deserve nothing more than death and to be lost eternally.  One day everyone will stand before the Lord to be judged (Romans 14:10) and we should hear the awful words “depart from me.”

Fortunately, God didn’t see it that way.  He loved us so much that words cannot describe.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16.)  That’s right!  God gave us the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we might be saved from terrible and eternal torment.  Jesus died on the cross for us and whatever we may think about how to be saved one thing is clear.  It is only by the blood of Christ that one may have their sins washed away (Ephesians 1:7.) 

But how does all this work?  The religious world puts much emphasis on the “free gift” of salvation and it is a free gift.  “The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life” (Romans 6:23.)  There is no denying that God’s gift of salvation is free to us.  There would be no plan or sacrifice for our sins (Heb. 2:9) without God.

But the New Testament speaks much about faith and works.  Some religions preach about the free gift and nothing else.  Others speak of the free gift and need to believe but works are out of the question.  The question becomes what is the relation between the gift, faith, and works - all of which are discussed in the New Testament.  We can’t focus on just one element but there is a simple relation between all three.                                  (Continued next week)