Scripture

By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:8-10)

Devotional

It is clear; it is simple: we are not saved by works; we are saved for works. There is only one work that brings salvation: the work of Christ’s victory over sin and death. It is not that we have to do works to obtain salvation, but that because we are saved we will. For example, you do not have to confess verbally, but if you are His, you will. Consider these three: grace, faith and works. They are, for the believer, inseparable. Grace is God’s favor, which grants us the ability to be conformed to the image of His Son; believing, trusting, and obeying express faith. Works are the evidences of God’s grace producing fruit through faith. Christianity is not a have-to religion; it is a get-to religion. We are saved by what Christ has done and what He has done alone. Therefore, we do good works, not to be saved, but because we are saved. We cannot separate verse 10 from verses 8 and 9.

Thought For The Night

“In the gospel, we discover we are far worse off than we thought, and far more loved than we ever dreamed.” Singer Steven Curtis Chapman and his pastor Scotty Smith, Speechless: Living in Awe of God's Disruptive Grace (Zondervan, 1999)

Evening Text

Ephesians 2:8-10: By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Looking for Answers

Does God bless the works of man?
Can we work our way to heaven?
Are we saved for good works, or do our works save us?

Evening Study Guide

Defining: “Works”: “The three main uses of this term, although distinct, are essentially related: the works of God, the works of Jesus Christ and the works of man in relation to faith,” The New Bible Dictionary.

Referencing: “If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt,” Romans 4:1-4.

Applying: Remember the words of Jesus when He said, “Work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work,” John 9:4.