I wanted to first thank you for your website. It is helping me a great deal in my studies. I believe in the gospel plan of salvation (faith, repentance, confession, baptism, and walking in newness of life). My question is that I always hear those from the protestant background or denominational circles say that you are saved by faith and everything else is works. I was reading the Nichol’s pocket Bible Encyclopedia and saw where he says faith is a work. He quotes John 6:29 for this. I began looking at trusted commentary such as Coffman and he says the same thing. I have always thought of faith as something we work at and grow as we study. Can you help me with what the definition of “works” is? I know we are not saved by our own merits but what are they saying is the definition of “works”? Is it correct to say that all of the conditions for salvation is a work? ~ Trey Cauble
The New Testament uses the word “works” primarily in two different ways, depending upon the context in which it appears. That is why it is so fundamentally important to correct biblical interpretation to thoroughly examine the context in which a passage of Scripture appears. Of course, this is really no different than any other means of communication today – written or oral. “Context, context and context,” one could say, are the first three rules of successful communication and the key to understanding the Bible.
The apostle Paul uses the word “works” in the Book of Romans to refer to acts of merit characteristic of Judaism (“works of the law” Romans 9:32). This is the sense in which the same apostle wrote to the churches of Galatia. “[K]nowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Galatians 2:16 NKJV). Hence, Scripture affirms that we cannot earn our salvation. “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” (Ephesians 2:8-9). “[N]ot by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…” (Titus 3:5). However, three verses later we read, “This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men” (Titus 3:8).
Though one cannot earn his salvation, Christians are to do “good works” (1 Timothy 6:18; Titus 2:7), which are manifestations of our living faith. The Christian’s faith must be demonstrated! “[W]ho gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). Further, Christians ought to encourage each other to do good works; “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24).
The classical biblical passage that shows the relationship between Christian faith and action or work as a result of our faith is James 2:14-26. James did not contradict the apostle Paul. Each of them simply used the word in a different context. Paul referred to merit deserved owing to works performed – which would have been the only means of true and lasting human holiness under Judaism. Since no one lived sinlessly perfect, works of the law were unable to save faulty humans. James, though, referred to the actions of a living and active faith. These works are not the means of becoming saved, but they are the fruit of saved people living out their faith. Hence, James three times in the aforementioned context wrote, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17, 24, 26).
Christian faith is equivalent to obedience. Absolute obedience required by the Old Law to justify a person became unattainable whenever someone violated any portion of God’s law (1 John 3:4). Every human soul finds himself or herself in this lamentable situation (Romans 3:10, 23). What humans could not do for themselves and by themselves, Jesus Christ did for us (Romans 5:8). Mankind still must obey, but where we fail in absolute obedience, the sacrifice of the Son of God makes it possible for us to be justified anyway (John 3:16). “…He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). Hence, we find the biblical relationship between obedience or works and faith, “obedience to the faith” (Romans 1:5) and “obedience to the faith” (Romans 16:26).
