The Gospel of...Works

Editor's Note: Part five of six in a series entitled "The Gospel of..."

Jesus says, "If you love me, you will obey my commands." This is a cause and effect relationship that cannot be reversed, for to obey commands without love for the commander is to not obey them at all. Thus, the faith of the believer because of the love for Christ, results in adherence to His commands, which manifests itself in the Spirit through good deeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

If man could earn eternal salvation through deeds, indeed no man would be worthy.

"...we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ," the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Galatia.

And, true, faith without works is dead, for it is out of love for Christ and His commands that our works find meaning.

Thanks be to God that we are saved through His love and rejoice in this love through the fulfillment of His commandments and service to the ends of the earth in praise.