Hi everyone hope you all are doing well! This week I wanted to recap a great convo that I had this week with my fellow team mates about justification and our motivation for works. I had talked about this early on in my World Race experience and wanted to circle back to it as the Lord has been revealing more and more to me about the topics of works and justification. I will try to keep this short and concise but this is a topic that could be talked about for ever. I hope you enjoy this and find it useful for your everyday life and your walk with the Spirit!
1. First and foremost we must lay the foundation that our justification comes from Christ alone and not from our works. Apart from Jesus sacrifice on the cross we would not be able to achieve justification. The Law would condemn us all we would be stuck living our lives apart from our Father. We must have faith and believe in Jesus death and resurrection in order to receive His justification this is the only way to obtain salvation. Believe, repent and be baptized for the Kingdom of heaven is near.
“15 We are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners,” 16 and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.” Galatians 2:15-16 CSB
2. When we realize that we can not be justified by our actions but only by our relationship with Jesus Christ and placing our faith in Him that should lead us to desire a deeper and more dependent relationship with Him. We NEED Jesus in our lives, apart from him we are left to be judged based on the Law as we established in our previous point. We all fall short of fulfilling the Law but Jesus did not fall short. He came to fulfill the Law and not to abolish it, HIs death and resurrection is the fulfillment of this Law that we were given and could not perfectly adhere to as He did. This fact alone should inspire a deep and intimate relationship with Him. And it is from this relationship that we receive the motivation for our works. With works it is all about heart posture. Are we working in an attempt to receive salvation or are we working because we are so moved by the grace and love of Christ that we are compelled to share His love with others? Hopefully it is the latter of the two, that your heart is overflowing with the love of Christ and encouraging you to work for His glory.
“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.” James 2:17-18 ESV
It is important to point out in verse 17 that works do not justify us, but a faith that does not produce works is not a true faith in Christ. True faith in Christ should put a burning desire inside of you to work for and advance His kingdom. It is through our actions that people will see the incredibly transformative work that the Spirit has done in our lives. It is dying to self and serving others that is our greatest testimony and what will draw others into seeking the kingdom of God as they see a form of greater love that is not present in the world around them. Live differently than the world, love deeper and serve others with joy. This is a faith that is alive and well motivated by an intimate relationship with Christ who showed us the greatest love of all, to die for us all when we were still sinners.
3. Our salvation is secured through faith, we have made that clear. So if not for our salvation what is the point of works besides bringing others to a relationship with Christ? Well unlike life on earth, in heaven we will be judged on our efforts and not everyone will receive a participation trophy just for showing up. We all will receive the gift of eternal life if we believe in the resurrection of Christ and repent of our old ways, that is for certain but the Bible also says there will be a hierarchy of what we inherit when we do get to heaven. Our works on earth will be weighed and judged and play a major role in deciding what it is that we inherit in eternity. In 1 Corinthians it says that our works will be tested with fire and if our works survive the fire we will be rewarded for it. It says that if our works are consumed by the fire we will still be saved but will suffer a loss and not receive our full inheritance that was destined for us. I don’t know about you but I want as much of God as I can get. I don’t want to get to heaven and find out that I missed out on some of what the Lord had portioned for me.
‘If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience loss, but he himself will be saved — but only as through fire. ‘ 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 ESV
4. So what exactly is the fullness of our reward in heaven? Well we can find the answer to that in Galatians 4:6. Here the scriptures tell us that we are no longer slaves but in fact we are sons and daughters of God. If we are sons and daughters then we too are heirs to the kingdom of heaven, princes and princesses worthy of receiving the fullness of the kingdom of God. If that is the case then I want to receive the fullness of my inheritance, I want to receive all of what heaven has to offer for me. When I get to heaven I want to be as close to the throne of God as I can be. So how do I do that, how do I receive the entirety of what God has saved up for me? I receive this all by doing works on earth that are motivated by a sincere love for Christ. I put others before myself and work to love the body of Christ and the world just as Jesus himself served us by being the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.
‘And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba , Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir. ‘ Galatians 4:6-7 ESV
So in summation, we are justified by faith and faith alone. A deep understanding of the sacrifice and love of Christ should motivate you into an intimate and passionate relationship with Christ. As this relationship grows our spirits are filled with the love of Christ in abundance and it spills out of us into the world and people around us. This overflowing of love motivates us to do good works and help advance the kingdom of God. On the final day we are judged by the fire of God and our works are weighed and our eternal inheritance is portioned accordingly. If we put on an eternal mindset and do not live for this world hopefully this will help to motivate you into a deeper level of servanthood for the Lord and will help us to maintain joyful hearts that desire to serve and die to self rather than being motivated by obligation, fear of earthly judgement or any other form of impure motive.
Love you all thank you for sticking with me in this one I hope you find it motivating and encouraging. Glory to God in all things and especially in revealing this to me, I know nothing that the Holy Spirit has not chosen to reveal to me. So to God be the glory forever and ever. I hope you have a great week, talk soon!
