“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
and purify unto himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works.”
Titus 2:14
Somewhere in the in the murky waters of religion, “works” became one of those words that became a stigma to the teaching of faith. Works and faith were set in opposition to one another to such an extent that faith itself lost its power in the life of the individual believer. Faith became a noun where it is said of some they are of a particular “faith”. In the divorce of Faith from works, faith became an esoteric concept, a teaching, a statement of belief that could be hung from a wall, printed on a church bulletin, or written in a book and sold as a commodity. It has come to such a low point that faith really has very little to do with the life of the common believer. Its impact is relegated to “discussions” and doctrinal statements without so much as a thought as to what it should actually PRODUCE in the life of the believer.
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD?”
James 2
As the church descended the slippery slopes where faith occupied less and less of the minds and hearts of God’s people, false teachings came in corrupting and beguiling the people of God and bringing the GREAT DIVORCE of Faith from Works. Faith was no longer the heart and soul of the people of God; teachings and philosophy replaced the power and illumination of the lamp of God. No longer did the fellowship of believers “provoke one another unto Love and Good Works”, but we replaced it with programs and teachings that promoted faithless inactivity. Jesus was having a discussion with the Pharisees of HIS day in which they had said to HIM, “Abraham is our father”. Jesus replied….
“If ye were Abraham’s children,
ye would do the works of Abraham”
John 8:39
So should it be said in this day, if we are the children of God, we should be doing the works of God. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus stated…
“Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven”
Matthew 5:16
We are not saved by works; we are saved UNTO good works by the union of Love and Faith. Far too often have the scriptures been taken out of context and used to support the horror of divorcing Faith from Works…
“For by grace are ye saved through faith: and not that of yourselves:
it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
UNTO GOOD WORKS, which God hath ordained that we
SHOULD WALK IN THEM.”
Ephesians 2:8 – 10
Where is the separation? It is only in the abominable teaching of this hour. Where are the works of the believer that are inspired by the living Faith of Christ within us? How dare we separate these two; for in the separation we have compromised with a faith that is not only dead but has deceived the people of God into thinking that a faith without works is not only acceptable but pleasing to its Author.
Zealous of Good Works
A people redeemed from all iniquity, purified unto a peculiar (treasured and precious) people, are a people zealous of Good Works. Whatever our place of development in God, whatever our standing, rest assured that our faith is being revealed by what it produces everyday in our lives. In the Book of Revelation we see the ONE with the eyes of fire peering into the Church of Laodicea and HE SPEAKS this Word…
“I know thy WORKS,
that thou are art neither cold nor hot…”
Revelation 3:15
Our works reveal our faith. The redemptive power of salvation is revealed in and through lives that are filled with the fire of a continually growing, dynamic faith that is made alive by the LOVE of God.
“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision
availeth any thing, but
Faith which worketh by Love.”
Galatians 5:5
Ω
“Faith is the root of works. A root that produces nothing is dead.”
Thomas Wilson (1663–1735)
Brian Troxel
