Works

I don't know why, but there seems to be a lot of misconception about works verses grace.  Let's begin with this:

Ephesians 2: 8-9
"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."

Grace alone is what has saved you, me, and anyone else that has ever claimed Jesus Christ as the son of God.  So we're all good right?  We have grace and it's a free gift, so we can shrug righteousness and entertain wickedness and folly?  NO!  So if we're saved by grace alone and not our works, why do we need to focus on works?  The answer is... you don't have to FOCUS on works.  If your heart has been truly awakened to Jesus Christ and you love the Lord, works and righteousness are things that either happen or convict you... this is an overflow of the perfectly righteous Jesus Christ who now lives in you.

Matthew 5: 17-20
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

How in the world am I supposed to reach a level of righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees?  Fortunately for us, the scribes and Pharisees were so concerned about human exultation for themselves that they cared more about works than loving Jesus.  If Jesus lives in you, you've inherited his righteousness which easily surpasses the scribes and Pharisees.  Simultaneously, if Jesus lives in you, you will desperately seek righteousness.

John 14: 15
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments"

Some of Jesus' final words to the disciples!

James 2: 14-17
"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."

James is NOT saying works save you... they don't... it's God's grace through ones faith that saves.  What James is saying is that if God's amazing grace has captivated your heart to the point of claiming to believe in Christ, you will realize a foreign righteousness that is Jesus within you that produces works and increases faith!  When Christ occupies a house (a soul) he does not merely stay there, he proceeds to clean the place up!  If an individual does not seek righteousness and has no inner conviction to pursue acting as Christ would act in any given situation, that individual may want to consider whether Christ truly resides within them.  Live gratefully in God's free grace, but realize living with Christ inside you comes with pursuing a life of righteousness!

Grace and Peace,
JoMo