Do you believe we should all earn our rewards? Do you believe everyone should work? Do you applaud those who do well, earning promotions? Have you taught your children to be good workers? Are you constantly seeking to work more? Has it become an addiction?
Many of us work hard to earn a living. We also work hard on our homes and at our churches. Some of us cannot sit and rest when there is something we think needs to be done. It is as though we are genetically designed to work, that we are only satisfied when we work.
It is good that we work. It is also unfortunate if we apply working to our faith. Mixing the two are like mixing oil and water. All our works, even if done for the church, cannot earn our way to heaven. If Abraham, credited as being a man of faith, could not boast about his works before God, neither can we.
Just because we cannot boast about our works before God does not mean we should not work. Quite the opposite. We should work. But our work should be done out of our love for God, rather than out of compulsion or a desire to earn God’s favor. It is our faith in Jesus Christ that has justified us and by God’s grace we are granted eternal life.
It can be challenging to separate our line of thinking in which we must work to earn a living and yet be saved through faith. We often mix them and seek to be saved through works. We must remember that God loves us and through his grace we are saved through faith. Doing the good works God has put before us is good, but it does not save us.
I pray we all understand that our works do not save us. I pray we know it is by God’s grace and our faith we are saved. I pray each one of us put our faith in God and do good works out of our love for him. God’s grace saves you. Put your faith in Jesus. Do good works out of love.
Romans 4:1-2 What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
Marty Pressey 