Short Summaries of

Sermons on Ephesians

by Rev. Ralph Allan Smith

Good Works in the New Testament

(Eph. 2:9-10 #2)

The doctrine of good works distinguishes Christianity from other religions and different Christian groups from one another. Among Christians the extremes are represented first on the antinomian side by Agricola, who departed from the teaching of Luther and fought against his former teacher with such declarations as, "Let Moses be hanged!" On the legalistic side is the Council of Trent (1563), the Roman Catholic answer to the Reformation, which defines justification as "not remission of sins merely but also the sanctification and renewal of the inward man" (Session 6, chap. 7). Of the gift of eternal life, Trent declares "life eternal is to be proposed to those working well unto the end, and hoping in God, both as a grace mercifully promised to the sons of God through Jesus Christ, and as a reward which is according to the promise of God himself, to be faithfully rendered to their good works and merits"(Session 6, chap. 16). What shall we do with Moses, kill him or make him our judge?

Justification by Faith

Superficially considered the New Testament presents us here with a paradox. On the one hand, we read Paul's passionate assertions that salvation is by grace alone apart from any good works. On the other hand, we also read equally clear affirmations, by Paul as well as James, that without a righteous life, no one will be saved. The dilemma is not beyond solution, however, if we pay close attention to the text of Scripture.

Paul is famously lucid on the subject of justification: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified [declared righteous] in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20). The commandments of Moses addressed to the non-Christian teach him his sin. Moses condemns us. No man can keep the law perfectly for what the law demands is that we love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves (Mat. 22:37-40; cf. Rom. 13:10). "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Gal. 3:10).

For this reason it was necessary that a Savior come who could fulfill the law as our covenantal representative. To save us Christ must both fulfill the laws positive demand for obedience and the laws negative demand for the penalty against our sin. This He did by His righteous life--"God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law" (Gal. 4:4b-5a)--and by His substitutionary death--"For our sake he [God] made him [Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor. 5:21).

Since, then, we are saved by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, justification can come only by faith in Christ who died for us. "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (Rom. 3:28). When the question at issue is our legal standing before God, grace and works are opposing principles: "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt" (Rom. 4:4). "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work" (Rom. 11:6).

We must be justified--declared righteous--either by faith on the basis of Christ's work as a substitute or on the basis of our own works. There is no middle ground. Paul absolutely forbids Trent's attempt to combine these two: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Gal. 2:16). If this were all the New Testament had to say about the subject, we might be tempted to buy the rope for Agricola to hang Moses.

Faith and Good Works

But how could Trent err so far? Is there nothing in the New Testament teaching the necessity of good works? Of course there is: "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only" (James 2:24). Read out of context, James seems to flatly contradict Paul and to teach the Catholic doctrine. But James had no such intention. He began the discussion with a question: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can such faith save him?" (James 2:14). James is concerned not about the relationship of faith and good works to justification, but about the relationship of faith to good works. In other words, what kind of faith will save us? James answer is "faith without works is dead" (Jam. 2:20, 17, 24). The only faith that will save us is a faith that manifests itself in good works.

From the beginning there were those who professed faith in Christ, but who, like the Pharisees, were hypocrites: "They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions" (Tit. 1:16a). Because of this problem, it was necessary to ask what kind of faith justifies. Paul had to stress not only that faith alone justifies, but also that the faith which justifies never remains alone. True faith believes in Christ in order to be saved from sin. Therefore, those with true faith will not remain in sin. On the contrary, if we believe in Christ, we will love Him. And if we love Him we will keep His commandments (Joh. 14:15). Thus, Paul writes, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love" (Gal. 5:6).

This is the heart of the doctrine of sanctification--God's Spirit working in us to make us righteous. God deals with the legal problem of sin by justifying us on the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ. He saves us from daily slavery to sin by the life-long process of sanctification, the Holy Spirit leading us to grow in our love to Christ and, thus, in obedience and good works.

Good Works and Final Judgment

Because justification always leads to sanctification--which is to say that faith always leads to love and good works--final judgment is judgment of our works. Not works apart from faith, but works as the expression of our faith. Christ judges the work not only in terms of its outward form, but also according to its motive and purpose. A good work which is acceptable to God is one done out of love to God and our neighbor, according to the teaching of the Bible, by the power of the Holy Spirit, for the glory of God and His kingdom.

Jesus taught us in no uncertain words, "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven" (Mat. 7:21). If our faith is not manifested in deeds, it will not save us. Paul too is insistent: "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:19-21). "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Gal. 6:7-8).

We need Moses to teach us the definition of true righteousness so that we will know how sinful we are and seek justification in Christ. We also need his teaching on righteousness so that we will be led to live a life of continual repentance, seeking to grow in good works and holiness by the grace of God. Do not set Moses up as your judge, or you will never be saved. Do not drag him to the gallows either. We need him as our teacher. Before we are justified, he leads us to Christ for mercy. After we are justified, he continually leads us to the cross for grace and also teaches us how to imitate our Savior.