Introduction and Comment: Tears running down the cheek and dripping off the chin whether they be shed for joy or sorrow look the same! But there is a difference in their chemical constitution! Thus we may ask do ‘good works’ done to ‘earn salvation’ or to ‘express salvation’ appear the same to God? Can good works save you? Paul says “not a result of works“. James says “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” Are they at variance? Remember that Paul goes on to say, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” The quoted Amos and Isaiah passages leave little, in fact no, doubt as what God expects life to be like! And the final 1 Corinthian passage written to Christians, people of faith, leaves no doubt that life style and results are important! Nevertheless remember that a thorough operating theatre cleaner is of more quality than a sloppy surgeon!
Amos 5: 24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Isaiah 1: 13b)-17 – I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.
Eph 2: 8-10 – 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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
James 2: 14-20 – What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
1Corinthians 3:10-15 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
2 Corinthian 5: 20&21 – Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he (God) made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Prayer: Open my heart to receive Your word about works that I should live and do, please my God.
As I read it! 