Saved By Works?

Christians often get very vocal with anyone who would dare insinuate that faith is meant to be accompanied by works. Indeed, the bible teaches that we are saved by grace through faith, and not of works lest any should boast, Eph 2:8-9. This is one of the first teachings given to new believers in Messiah. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Sin is the transgression of the law, which demands death..We are all under the penalty of death because we all sin. Christ came as a sinless human to completely fulfill the requirements of the law and take upon himself the penalty for sin in our stead by death on the cross, freeing us from the requirements of the law. What is our response to be? Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Whereas it is absolutely true that we can do nothing to receive salvation, is it not also true that God expects those he has redeemed to leave sin behind and grow into maturity and obedience? Now that we have received the gift of the promised Holy Spirit to help us and teach us, we should be bringing forth fruits unto repentance. Sin should no longer have dominion over us. The scriptures teach that we are to leave the "old creature" behind and become "new creatures" in Christ. We are now part of the family of God, and surely God does not want a household of disobedient children. Even we who are parents want our children to obey us and follow our instructions. We teach them for their good, because we want to protect them and keep them from harm and the bitter results of following after evil. Certainly our heavenly father would want nothing less for his children. He wants to dwell with us and bless us always, but disobedience brings nothing but a curse. Therefore, his teachings and instructions are wholly for our good, that we may be a blessed people.They are not given to burden us or enslave us, any more than the laws of our nation. Laws are meant to protect and serve us. Isn't that the motto of our police, "To protect and serve"? The bible teaches us that law-abiding citizens have no reason to fear the law. Only those who break the law fear punishment.

God instructs us to consider our ways and love him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. We could do nothing to save ourselves, that is true. However, now that we have been accepted into the household of faith, into the very family of God, by faith in the sacrifice of our redeemer, let us look to him as an example and follow in his footsteps. The bible is filled with admonitions to believers to keep his commandments. Many years after his death, burial and resurrection, the apostles taught the  new converts how they were to walk in Messiah. They all instructed the believers in Christ to leave sin behind and walk in newness of life. Christ died for our sins, but in no way allows for continual sin on the part of a believer. His death did not annul the law, but the penalty of breaking the law, being death. His grace is not a license to sin.

By the way, grace is not something new, exclusive to the New Testament. By grace, sin's penalty was satisfied in the Old Testament through the sacrificial system administered by the Levitical priesthood. It is now satisfied through the administration of our eternal high priest, Y'shua. Did you know, however, that there was never a sacrifice that covered deliberate sin, even in the old covenant?

May we all seek to leave any lingering sin and accept the grace of our savior with King David, who prayed, "Create in me a clean heart" and "Lead me in the paths (cycles) of righteousness."