Do We Work?

Ephesians ^2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.

We have heard it many times.  We are saved by grace through faith.  I am beyond thankful for that truth.  I do not even want to imagine my life without the grace of Jesus Christ.  I spent so much time trying to justify myself and find some level or sense of peace in and through my actions.  Then, one day I found all that I ever could want or need in the person of Jesus Christ.  His grace was and is sufficient for me to be given life and salvation.  When I chose to put my faith in Him and His finished work everything changed.  For that I am eternally grateful.

Grace is defined as a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ.  It is not something we have or could ever earn.  It is not something for which we could ever be worthy or deserving.  It was the choice of Jesus Christ to come to earth, live a sinless life, die an excruciating death, be resurrected and return to Heaven so that we could experience life and salvation through Him.  It is truly remarkable all that He has done for us.

Verse 9 tells us it is not of our own “work,” so that none of us can boast about how we saved ourselves.  In the Greek “work” is “ergon” which means work, task, employment; a deed, action; that which is wrought or made, a work.  It is a work or worker who accomplishes something, a deed or action that carries out or completes an inner desire or intention or purpose.

In other words we cannot accomplish or complete our salvation in Christ through any deed, action or work.  It simply does not lie within our ability to do the work of Christ in our life.  He is the author and the finisher of our faith and salvation (Hebrews 12:2).  There is no question from a biblical standpoint that we cannot earn what grace has freely given to us.

Nonetheless, there is another verse to consider within this context and discourse by Paul to the church in Ephesus.  We read this:

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.

We are his workmanship.  We are made by Him.  A quick look at the account of creation from Genesis reveals that God has never made anything without purpose.  He made the sun to give light to and govern the day.  He made the moon to give light to and govern the night.  He made the sea and waters to house the fish.  He made the land to house man and animals.  You get the point.  Every part of His workmanship has been made on purpose and with purpose.  So, what then is the purpose of the one who has been “saved by grace through faith?”

We are “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  There is that “works” word again.  Interestingly enough it is the same Greek word as we looked at in verse 9.  While Paul is emphatically saying that we do not work to earn our salvation, he is also emphatically saying that our new creation, our new place of salvation, is for good works that God has prepared for us to do.

The specific usage of this “work” in verse 10 speaks of every good work that springs from piety or righteousness.  To me it is best described as the things we do as a result of what Christ has done in us. I do not work to earn my salvation.  I work and serve passionately because of the salvation I have been given.  I work and serve passionately the One Who is worthy of my best at all times.  I do not want to sit around and take for granted the precious grace gift He has given me.  I want to honor Him in and through all that I do.  I want my life and the work of my life to serve as a living testimony to the grace of Jesus Christ, and not as a dead representation of genuine Kingdom Power. 

I understand many will disagree with me in this.  I understand this is not a popular topic in our “church culture.”  But I gave up wanting to be popular a long time ago.  I want all that my Savior has for me.  I want to be faithful to Him.  I can never earn His grace.  I can never repay Him for His grace.  But I am determined to live my life, and do my work for Him, with passionate intent to honor His grace.  In concluding, consider a few other scriptural thoughts along these lines:

Romans ^2:5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁶ who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: ⁷ eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; ⁸ but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, ⁹ tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; ¹⁰ but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹¹ For there is no partiality with God.

Colossians ^1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; ¹⁰ that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Titus ^1:15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. ¹⁶ They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

2 Timothy ^2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. ²¹ Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. ²² Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. ²⁴ And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, ²⁵ in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, ²⁶ and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Even God’s Word carries the purpose of preparing us for work:

2 Timothy ^3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Hebrews ^13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ²¹ make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.