First Century Christianity
First Century Christianity
Works, Faith, and Grace
Near as I can tell, the vehemently negative view of works came out of the Reformation. It must have been a really strong influencing factor because, to this day, just the mention of “doing” something to get one closer to God elicits the immediate disclaimer “I’m not saying works can save you...”
Well, I am not saying that works can save you, but, works have a huge part in the walk of the Christian. Works cannot now, nor ever have saved anyone, but they certainly will condemn you.
And the sea gave up the dead in it. And death and hell delivered up the dead in them. And each one of them was judged according to their works.
(Revelation 20:13)
The pathway to salvation is the same today as it was in the beginning. The pathway to condemnation is the same as well. Adam and Eve did not believe God, thus they lacked the faith to trust Him when He said:
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, You may freely eat of every tree in the garden, but you shall not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. For in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.
(Genesis 2:16-17)
Adam and Eve’s works condemned them. On the other hand, Abraham’s works displayed his faith in God. His works did not save him, his faith did. Faith can only be demonstrated through works.
And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad, nor do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only one, from Me.
(Genesis 22:12)
Our path is the same.
Therefore by their fruits you shall know them.
(Matthew 7:20)
Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works? And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!
(Matthew 7:21-23)
On the subject of grace, the modern Christian could easily come under the assumption that grace did not exist until Christ and that Old Testament salvation was works based. Nothing could be further from the truth. A keyword search for “grace” in the NKJV turns up 164 scriptures starting in Genesis with Noah and running the length of the Bible, mostly Old Testament interestingly enough. Nobody has ever been saved or chosen aside from the grace of God. God does what God wants and this includes laying down a path for salvation for those who choose to follow it. The responsibility comes once one realizes that God’s grace is available for him. Then you either decide to adhere to what you learn, allow your faith to flourish, and conform your life to God’s standards or you don’t. I will close with two scriptures that I wish I had never read.
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
(Hebrews 10: 26-27)
For it would have been better for them not to have fully known the way of righteousness, than fully knowing it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
(2 Peter 2:21)
For more in depth on this topic, click here.