There is a way that we receive things in the Kingdom of God. It is vastly different than this present world, and far better than anything we can understand. As much as we try to earn and work for what we want, it is not by works that we receive. It is only by grace through faith.

This motto, “by grace through faith” doesn’t just relate to what we receive though. It is how we live. It’s how think. It is even a part of the way we interact with the Lord.

As we build a foundation for our faith, we must tackle this issue that we all will face at some point or another. Some more than others. Some earlier, some later. We must discuss what it means to live a Christian life. This begins by knowing, that we don’t live by grace. But by grace, through faith.

Salvation by Works

We start our Christian faith by looking at salvation. Oftentimes, this is in a church service, during an altar call. Maybe at camp or a retreat. Maybe within your own home. But we must all come to terms, that we have to have salvation.

The majority of us know how this happens. We’re told that if we accept Jesus as Lord of our life and into our hearts that we will be saved. In fact, Romans 10 tells us that if you believe in your heart, and confess with your mouth, that Jesus is Lord then you will be saved (Romans 10:9). That is great news. However, we have begun to add to it.

You know those movies, around the halfway mark, that are just going too positive. Nobody but the bad guy has lossed. The characters are all happy and giggly. We have a shot of them laughing and smiling at one another. Things are going so well, that we all know there’s some tragedy about to strike. Right after the shot of them all smiling, the building blows, the villain returns, and we meet utter defeat. Things were truly, “too good to be true”. I believe that this is our way of thinking when it comes to our salvation.

In order to plan for the worse possible situation, we dig deep into our flesh, and live only from our works. This is only because, we think that grace is too good to be true. We can’t just believe, confess, and expect to be blessed. That can’t be how things work. Except, it is. Take a look at scripture with me.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

This scripture alone shows us that we cannot receive salvation by works at all. It must only be received by grace, through faith.

Justified by Works

Building from salvation, we must then go to a next reasonable step.

When we are given salvation, we are not just given a get-into-heaven free pass. Although that it what many have essentially taught, the process is far more in depth.

We are given many things as children of God, including adoption, a new identity, and the Spirit of God. Included in that, is justification.

“Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16).

As children of God, we have been justified by faith. Because of our faith and belief in Christ, we have ultimately been justified. Once again, our works been nothing. In fact, it is by our faith alone, that we receive this justification.

We often say that God is completely just. He is all just, yet all merciful. When we put our faith and belief in Jesus, we have been declared justified in his sight. When we believe this process is done. Not when we work, not when we serve, or read our bibles, or follow the law, but only when we believe. Therefore, justification by works, is impossible.

Righteousness

Righteousness and justification go hand in hand. In order to be considered righteous, you must be justified. Once you’re justified, you are made righteous. That is, because the entire process, happens at the same time.

We aren’t giving salvation, then given a new identity, then his spirit, then justification, then righteousness. The entire process happens the moment we give our lives to Christ. It isn’t a process the way our minds would like to think. It happens in a moment. In order to truly walk in all the blessings that the Lord has freely offered us, we need to understand that very thing.

We often look at scripture through a lens. We see it and try to understand it the same way that we see our world. But the ways of the Kingdom are far different than our ways.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

The ways of the Lord are entirely different than what we know and see. Likewise, we don’t receive the things of God, the way we would presumably would. It’s a free gift, given and received in a single moment, encompassing far more than we understand. We aren’t made righteous over a period of time, after extensive time of “doing good works”. We are made righteous in a moment. There is no way to earn righteousness by works. It’s not a possibility. We can only receive righteousness, by grace as a gift, not by works.

Living by Works

If it hasn’t been made incredibly clear, it is impossible to be made righteous, or to be saved, or really do anything worthwhile in the Kingdom of God, by works. We can only receive those things by grace, through faith. But that doesn’t stop us from trying to live by our works.

“Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:2-3).

Far too often, we try to live by the law, or by our works. We may understand that we can’t receive salvation by our works, but we still try to daily live, by ourselves, by the law. If we follow all these commandments, then God is going to bless me. Then he’ll give me knowledge. Then he’ll heal me. But that isn’t how God wants us to live either.

If we are in the Spirit, we are already spotless, and blameless in his eyes. We already have the mind of Christ, health, and so much more. But if we continually try to live according to the law. Striving to be perfected by it, we will only fail to receive all the promises and blessings that the Lord has for us. We will fail to grow and fail to be perfected.

In our battle with the flesh, trying to do works to earn the blessings of God, we miss said blessings every time.

We must live only by grace, through faith, in every area of our lives, striving not in our flesh, but abiding in the Spirit.

His Workmanship

When talking about works, we must not get confused. Although we shouldn’t be living by our works, and shouldn’t be putting our faith in our works, we should still be doing them nonetheless.

I’ve often pondered on what the purpose of a Christian is. Of course, we all have our separate callings and such, but there has to be an overarching purpose of the believer. I’ve found that the only reason we are all still here, is to bring more people with us to Heaven. To win souls, however it is that is done. Therefore, there are good works, that must be done for the Kingdom of God.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

This verse comes right after we are told that we cannot be saved by works, however, it tells us that we are created for good works. This leaves us with only one conclusion. We are called to do good works, that is literally what we were created for, but not to live by them. In other words, as God’s workmanship, we are called to live by faith in Jesus, with him as our source of life and fulfillment, not our works.

But we shouldn’t be complacent. We are called still, to do good works, to win souls. That is our whole reason for being here, but we will talk more on that, soon.

Final Thoughts

As Christians, we have a major luxury. In fact, we are blessed beyond measure, yet many of us, have yet to receive, or walk in all that God has for you. There are so many blessings that he has already offered to us by grace, we simply must receive them by faith.

Instead of getting caught up with trying to earn anything from God, including favor, guidance, or strength, we must remember that those only come by grace, through faith. Without faith, it’s impossible to please God, so let go of the works mentality, and lean on all the grace of God.

But don’t let yourself grow complacent. Although we should not live by our works, and can’t receive from God that way, we should still do good works. God has prepared them for you beforehand, that you should walk in them, but he won’t make you. You have to decide to walk in those good works. But we will get into that soon enough.

Have a great week!