Scriptural Reference:
"The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those
who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.
These things are excellent and profitable for people." Titus 3:8

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,"
Hebrews 10:24

"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are
pleasing to God."
Hebrews 13:16

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it."
Proverbs 3:27-28

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have
works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking
in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,”
without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith
by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
James 2:14-17

Reflection:
If you did a survey of Christians you may be surprised at the divisions. One group will state that faith is sufficient. While another group will state that faith alone is of no use without good works. Then there is a third group that will say that you need to keep doing works to prove you're worthy. I will attest that the Bible clearly tells us that we are saved not by our works or anything that we can do: But by our acceptance of the gift of grace given to us from God. That is through His Son Jesus the Christ. Our works though are important. Not as any form of justification but as our way to please God. For it's by our acts of kindness and works of mercy that we can live as examples of Gods' grace in a cold and indifferent world.

The Bible tells us that we are saved by God's grace through our faith in Jesus and not because of anything we do (Ephesians 2:8-9). It's all about God's grace and our faith in Jesus. God's love, forgiveness, and salvation are all because of Christ's work, not because of our own actions. The only action we take part in is by admitting our sins and accepting the gift of grace. So we can see that it's God's grace that saves us, not our own efforts. It's all about what Christ has done for us, not about what we can do. We can never earn salvation on our own, but through faith in Christ, we are declared righteous by God. It's not about following rules, but about trusting in God's grace. Our salvation is a gift from God, and that's the Good News of the Gospel. I could repeat this numerous times. Yet there will always be someone who finds this difficult to grasp or comprehend. They will continue to 'work' for salvation.

A short story expresses this rather well:
There were five brothers who lived with their father the king in a kingdom on comfort and plenty. There was a river that flowed through the kingdom. The water was treacherous as the surface hid a dangerous undercurrent. So the brothers were told to never go swimming in it. Yet one day four of the brothers were playing near the river. One of them threw a ball that splashed and landed on a small rock in the middle of the river. One of the brothers said he could reach the rock and get the ball if the other three held hands together in a sort of rope. They did this and the brother made it to the rock and had grasped the ball; when the undercurrent dragged them all away.

Status: The brothers struggled to stay together and above the water. When the current finally slowed they found themselves on a rocky bank along the river. The climbed up and built a fire and waited to be rescued by their father the king. While there they talked about what things they could do while there. The next day three of them woke up and found their older brother had left them. When they found him he was building a house. When asked he told them he wanted their father to see what a great palace he had built. Nothing would convince him to return to the fire.

Legalism:
The next day another brother had gone away. The remaining two brothers found him on a small hill watching the first brother. When asked what he was doing he told them he was watching all the bad things the older brother was doing. He planned to tell their father all about it. No amount of talk would make him leave his place so the two brothers returned to the fire.

Works:
The next morning the youngest brother woke up to find he was alone. He looked and found the brother who was with him the last night in the river. Taking stones from the bank and making a rocky jetty. Sadly as soon as he set a rock and went for another the first rock would get washed away. He explained he would build a bridge himself to return home. And, just like the other brothers, he refused to return to the fire.

Patient Faith:
The youngest brother returned to the fire and waited. Until one day the eldest brother was seen walking down the river. He was the biggest and strongest of the five brothers. So the current didn't drag him away. He found the youngest brother and asked where the others were. The youngest showed him were they were. The oldest brother asked the first one to return. He bragged that his house was better than anything their father had seen and how pleased he would be. The second brother listed all the crimes the brother had done and would stay and continue watching. While the last brother swore he would build his bridge and return without anyone's help. So the eldest brother picked up the youngest one and they entered the river and returned home.

To this day the other brothers are still doing what they believe will get them back home. In each case the brother took t on himself to do something to assure that he would find his way home. Yet they should have known that there was nothing they could do; regardless of their meaningful intentions. No amount of earthly status will make one appear great. No amount of legalism will make one appear to be religious. And no amount of work will bridge the gap between them and their father. How true this is with Christians. We are in many ways like the brothers. We struggle to make what 'we think' is the best thing to do. Yet in the end it comes down to three things that we can do.

• Admit that we are a sinner
• Accept Jesus the Christ as Saviour
• Live in faith in Gods' grace

For by faith we are saved and through works in praise of Gods' grace should we live.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,
You have blessed me with many things,
None of them should I ever brag about.
For you and you alone I use these gifts.
To praise and worship your holy name.

Precious Lord Jesus the Christ,
It's by your atonement that I am saved.
Nothing I can say or do can ever match,
The redemption that you have given me.

May I always live in the grace of my God.
Ready to admit where my salvation comes from.
Prepared to give a witness to the gospel truth.
As I shine a light in an ever darkening world.

Amen