(Baptists) Do Dance!

My friend, Juli, knows me, so she likely won’t be surprised I’ve mentally revisited and continued our conversation from a couple months ago. (Hey, she moved away; we couldn't finish it in person!)

It was on an aspect of theology in which we both had passionate interest.  (Yes, we had already shared lunch and caught up on day to day stuff; then, we got into this compelling topic.)

"Why are so many bound by such a big emphasis on ‘works’ ….in their own minds, in their churches, in their view of how God sees them and what He expects?  Don't we recognize the ‘fallout’ of this:  legalism, guilt, works righteousness, man-made rules, external conformance, inward carnality…."

“What about grace?” she asked. “Why is there not more realization and attention given to our complete rescue from DOING, from earning God’s favor in this way?!”

(We were not speaking of our own church, just circles we had connection with elsewhere...)

I’ve given some thought to this and my own question flowing from it: 

What is the place of works vs grace in a believer’s life?

How would you answer this?  (It might not fit so neatly in the box you had envisioned!)

Consider the following :

• Revelation 20:12. At the Great White Throne judgment,  individuals will be judged, their names found in (or left out of) the book of life,  “according to what they had done”.
• James 2:25. “And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?”
•   Luke 18:18, 22. The rich young ruler asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “One thing you still lack, sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”
•  John 15:8 “By this is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
•    I John 2:29 “…you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.”
•  In Proverbs 31:31 it is this woman’s works which bring her praise in the city gates.

It seems God is very interested in works…that they are of importance to God. It is not a case, then, of grace instead of works.

It shoots the following kind of thinking out of the water:  “I don’t have to worry about what I do!             After all—God is a god of grace!”

He is…but this grace transforms something (actually someone), and that transformed someone demonstrates this operative grace by a life of works.

Indeed, this seems to be the emphasis God puts on works in all the above cited examples---those works SHOW or PROVE what has happened in the heart. And if the proof (works) is absent, the transformation (grace)  is absent (not real), as well.

There is great application for us as we live our day to day lives:

1. The clearest way to know we are God’s children is not from a past “decision” we made but from a clear picture today of the product of that “new birth”: works! Is there obedience, fruits of righteousness, a desire & pursuit of God in your life? These are works HE makes happen because of our being united to Him through grace.
2.   If we emphasize behavior (“works”) in our homes and with our children, we ought to do so in the same way and with the same purpose that God does:  as a revealer of  what is in our hearts.  NOT in any way to give the idea we are more pleasing to God when we ‘clean up our act’. Little sinners need constant reminders of their need for God, and their sinful works offer constant opportunity for this.
3. In our own lives as Christians WE should pay CLOSE attention to our works. They are the most accurate, unbiased picture of what is in our hearts.  We may think or say we love God, that He is supreme, that our lives worship Him foremost. But our works tell the real story.  How do we obey? How do we serve? How do we respond? How do we spend our time? The purpose of these questions is not to ‘guilt’ one into doing something more righteous; no, the answers reveal where we need repentance, a plea to God to restore our love for him over idols, and places where our heart has strayed….because our lives reveal (through our works) what our heart truly loves.
4. In our churches it is appropriate to flesh out the MANY admonitions in Scripture on how we as believers should act. One’s works should not be set aside in the name of “grace”.  But these commands ought to be given in the context of God who works them in us, as we work to the same end through His power. And with the constant reminder of our need for continued grace.   "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil. 2:13

"We are his workmanship, created for good works that God prepared (for us) to walk in". Eph 2:10

Grace leads, works follows as they dance elegantly 

to justification's beautiful melody 

on the dance floor of sanctification. 

Thanks, Juli,  for the good mental and spiritual workout.  J  We’ll have to get together again soon.