Faith and Works

Scripture

Ephesians 2:8–10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Intro

Apologetics: Knowing what we believe and why we believe it

1 Peter 3:15 “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”

Jude 3 “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

Why understanding faith and works is important

False faith

Some believe all they have to do is believe then live as if they don’t believe

Works based salvation

Pervasive in our culture is the idea that you just have to be a good person

The zeitgeist, spirit of the age, is pushing hard for us to believe we can have compassion and love without faith

Saved by grace through faith

We’ve all sinned

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

The result of sin is death

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus died in our place

Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Through Jesus we can have eternal life

John 3:16 ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Grace is gift, it was a gift of God because he loved us

1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”

Faith is the avenue to receive the grace of God

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Romans 10:9–10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

It is all a gift from God

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Grace is a gift

Faith is a gift

Saved by grace through faith is a gift

It was not earned by you, we don’t deserve it, we have no credit to take for it

Salvation is not a result of works but works are a result of salvation

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Works play no part in you being saved

Works certainly play a part in you having been saved

We were created for good works and must be saved to accomplish them

God already knows the path He has for you

We need to walk that path in faith with our works

The faith that saves

The faith/works of Abraham

Romans 4:2–3 “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.””

Abraham was not justified by works but because he believed God

Romans 4:13 “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.”

James 2:21–23 “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.”

Why did Abraham do what he did? He believed God.

Without works to carry out the faith there would be no faith

James tells us the kind of faith he’s talking about is merely mental ascent

James 2:14 “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?”

James 2:19 “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

At least the demons know well enough to shudder!

Faith will produce works

Matthew 3:8 “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

Philippians 2:12 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,”

John 14:15 ““If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Faith in Jesus with works to follow

It is the Holy Spirit in us producing the fruit

Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

What about those who do good works without faith?

The Pharisees did plenty of good works

Matthew 23:23–26 ““Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.”

Outside they looked good but inside was a corruption that can only be washed clean by the blood of Jesus

Not everyone who thinks they are saved are saved

Matthew 7:21–23 ““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

Those who do good works without faith continue to deny God. They may believe He exists but continue to choose to live without Him. If they will not turn to God then they will spend eternity away from God, it’s what they chose.

How now shall we live?

Check your motives

Are you doing what you do to get in good with God or because you are good with God?

James 4:1–3 “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”

John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Guard yourself against a false gospel

Jude 4 “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Jude 16 “These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.”

2 Peter 2:1–3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

Live with boldness and confidence

Hebrews 10:39 “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

Benediction

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”