Faith and Works: A Relationship, not a Rivalry

August 22, 2025

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not 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 before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10

Salvation is a gift. In the love and wisdom of God, He set a plan of reconciliation that is by grace through faith. It cannot be earned, deserved, or repaid. The Apostle Paul writes, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” This is an anchor of the gospel; the finished work of Christ offered to undeserving sinners. As a church family, it is good and necessary that we remember this together. It is where hope begins and where all faithful living is rooted.

The very next verse gives shape to what faithful living looks like: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Faith is not passive. True faith is active surrender, dependence, confession, and allegiance to Christ. It is personal, but never private, it inevitably expresses itself in obedience, love, and in producing fruit of the Spirit. The grace that saves is also the grace that works. Not in a way that earns anything, but in a way that reveals the evidence of salvation. As Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.”

The Apostle Paul clarified this relationship between faith and works to a church that was embracing the Jewish law as their hope. Writing to the Galatians, he contended for the clarity of the gospel. His opening words leave no room for doubt: “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world.” That same grace that delivers from the evil world is what defines and directs the life of a believer. But some were distorting the message, attempting to add the requirements of the law to the work of Jesus. And Paul did not hesitate to call this a curse.[1] These were not simply acts of love or obedience, but specific requirements of the Mosaic covenant being treated as necessary for salvation. Paul opposed this, not because obedience is unimportant, but because relying on the law for righteousness denies the necessity and sufficiency of Christ.

This is where Paul uses the image of a “schoolmaster;” a tutor or guardian.[2] The law was never the Savior; it pointed toward our need for a Savior. It taught us that we cannot attain righteousness by our own effort. But Christ fulfilled the law in His life, death, and resurrection. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.”[3] In Him, the curse is lifted, and the promise by faith is received.

And yet, we still ask: if faith saves us, what place do works have? Are we in danger of setting good deeds aside? Or, trusting in them without realizing it? James addresses this concern directly.

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“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone… shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”[4] There is no contradiction here. The Apostles are not debating whether works contribute to being born again, they do not. But they affirm that saving faith will not be fruitless. In verse 24, James writes, “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” James is not introducing a new requirement; he is describing the nature of real faith. True faith responds. It acts. And the works that flow from faith give proof of what is unseen. James uses Abraham as a key example. When he offered Isaac on the altar, it was not to earn God’s favor, but because he trusted God fully. “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” Faith was revealed by the actions it produced. Not as a new requirement added to grace, but as the fulfillment of it.

Hebrews 11 offers a beautiful portrait of this reality. From Abraham, to Moses, to Rahab, each one trusted God—and their trust showed up in action. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is substantial. It moves. It obeys. It gives and sacrifices and perseveres—not to be seen, but because it sees the unseen. Jesus commended this active faith, giving examples of how this shows up in our world in loving and serving others.[5] Such good works are how God’s children glorify our father in heaven.[6]

This is where Paul lands again in Galatians. Not in a formula, but in fruit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” These are not works we can generate by self-effort alone. They are the overflow of life in the Spirit and the evidence of abiding in Christ. A sober reminder is found in Jesus’ encounter with the barren fig tree. It looked healthy from a distance, but it bore no fruit. Jesus cursed the tree, and it withered. This account reminds us that outward appearance is not enough. A name, a history, or an association with Christianity cannot replace a living faith demonstrated by action. Jesus desires to see the fruit of the spirit; evidence that we belong to Him and the actions that inevitably result when we are filled with love, joy, peace, and goodness!

So how do we live this out? How do we respond to such a gift? We trust and obey and express our allegiance to the One who gave everything. We surrender daily, walking by faith, depending on the Spirit, and confessing Christ. We also remember. We remember the grace that saved us, the cross that secured it, and the resurrection that confirms it and do not receive this grace in vain.[7] We return again and again to the gospel, keeping it in view so that our hearts are stirred to pursue this calling with all diligence and align our lives with the will of God.[8] The gift is still a gift. And when received in faith, it changes everything.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith… not of works… For we are his workmanship.” This is good news. Let us walk in it with joy and reverence.

[1] Galatians 3:10

[2] Galatians 3:24

[3] Galatians 3:13

[4] James 2:17-18

[5] Matthew 25:40

[6] Matthew 5:16

[7] 2 Corinthians 6

[8] 2 Peter 1:1-11

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Always thankful

October 21, 2026

As we approach the end of fall and the harvest season, we often focus our attention on Thanksgiving Day. We are fortunate to live in a land that recognizes the need to pause and give thanks to our great God for the many blessings he bestows upon us. However, the Bible calls us to be thankful in all times and circumstances – not just once a year. “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good.” [i] “In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” [ii] These two verses are similar and yet can be interpreted differently if quoted in isolation. Thanking God for his goodness seems an easy commandment to obey; however, some circumstances are more difficult to appreciate. Giving thanks or being thankful is referenced over one hundred times in scripture. And naturally it can seem easier to give thanks when circumstances are pleasing. It is easier to thank God when a loved one repents. It is easier to thank him when we are sitting in church, listening to his Word, worshipping in song, surrounded by faithful believers. It is easier to recite 1 Thess. 5:18 when the trials of life are light and well-spaced. But what happens when life is not going well, circumstances seem impossible, or difficulties seem to pile up? Can we have thankful posture in dire situations or through sad experiences? It is clear in the Bible that by God’s grace and with intentional effort, we can have a thankful spirit and respect toward God even when the load is heavy. Scriptures in Job provide an excellent Old Testament example. After hearing a series of devastating reports about his family and possessions, Job was able to say “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” [iii] After being struck with sore boils from the sole of his foot to his crown and having been ridiculed by his wife for retaining his integrity, Job said “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” [iv] Job did not minimize the pain of the evil he was experiencing, but in the midst of the devastation he focused his attention on the goodness and faithfulness of God. Likewise, the disciples in the New Testament were often faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles as they spread the Word of God. Yet they looked upon their afflictions as a privilege. After being beaten and commanded to not speak in the name of Jesus, “They departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” [v] At the same time, when Stephen was stoned, they grieved deeply at the devastating loss, yet trusted in God’s grace and goodness to see them through and somehow redeem the worst of circumstances. -----------------CONTINUED PORTION BELOW-------------------- Remembering the Lord's graciousness and track record of bringing good out of evil can help us maintain a thankful heart despite the challenges we face. Whether amidst hard circumstances or easy, we can focus on the goodness and faithfulness of God. Without intentional focus, we can tend to overlook gratitude when life is good because the very simple and basic needs of life are so easily realized. An abundance of material blessings can lead us to take basic needs for granted. However, being grounded in a thankful spirit can help carry us when sometimes things do not seem abundant. Simple disciplines or practices can help us foster this thankful spirit. Taking the time to pause and write a list of all we have received from God, giving him thanks for his goodness can help us turn from an entitled mindset toward a thankful mindset. Remembering God's goodness can be especially helpful when life is hard. The practice of gratitude journaling helps us remain focused on God above all during these overwhelming times. Beyond the physical needs that can be so easy to count, he also provides many spiritual blessings. In time of need, he provides us with an abundance of grace that gives us love we do not deserve and helps us serve him in ways far beyond what we could do of our own ability. God’s wisdom and his compassion assure us that he will provide for all our needs, and yet he will also withhold what is harmful if we will allow him to do so. He knows our needs and in his infinite wisdom he will supply all our needs. A practice of worshipping God can also help grow our spiritual life and encourage grateful hearts. God’s truths can be engraved into our minds as we sing and praise him, no matter the circumstances. In addition, our church body encourages us to connect, travel, and grow together as believers, helping one another during both joyous and hard times in life. This spiritual connection with others is a spiritual blessing that can easily be forgotten. Finally, many of us have been born into families where we were taught the truth of God’s Word, being exposed since we were young to the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ and the knowledge of our great and loving God whom we can call Father. This thankful spirit is often born out of knowing the Father, whose image we carry. Having a clear vision and understanding of God’s character and attributes can help us develop a thankful spirit. Among the many reasons to thank God are his power, his grace, and his mercy. We thank him for the love he showed when he sent his only begotten son, allowing us to have forgiveness of our sins and victory over death through repentance, confession, and faith in his name. He provides his Word, giving us a perfect source of wisdom and direction for our lives. His Holy Spirit provides believers with comfort, conviction, and guidance toward all truth. In addition, there are many other attributes of God to consider such as his goodness, presence, sustenance, protection, and many more. The implications for our lives of the many attributes in this list, which could be much longer, are beyond human comprehension but worth contemplating more deeply as we practice a life of gratitude. Whether you are in a joyous time of life or a time when life is difficult, may the remembrance of these many truths provide a new understanding to the Scripture’s challenge to, “In every thing, give thanks.” [vi] May this Thanksgiving holiday remind you of our great and good God, the loving sacrifice of Jesus, and the faithful presence of the Holy Spirit who has come to guide us not only in the good, but also in the difficult of life. And may this testimony of thankfulness greatly affect our own lives and the lives of those around us. [i] Psalm 107:1 [ii] I Thess. 5:18 [iii] Job 1:21 [iv] Job 2:10 [v] Acts 5:41 [vi] I Thess. 5:18