GRACE IS WORK

Consider these two biblical statements:

“By grace are you saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God not of works so no man can boast.” 

“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”

They may seem contradictory but they are rather complimentary.

Firstly, anyone who thinks they can save themselves from eternal damnation is deeply deluded or grossly ignorant of what sin is, who they as humans are, who God is and what Christ came to accomplish in His suffering, death, burial and resurrection.

Grace is the work, act, action or operation of God in saving man. True grace is first and foremost and primarily for and about man’s salvation. 

Hence, salvation is by grace, meaning it is by the work of God, which is in what Christ did on the Cross. 

No salvation outside of Christ. 

Grace came through Christ alone, meaning God saves through Christ alone. 

He is the one and only true door by which if any man enters in, they shall be saved. 

Faith is product of the Spirit of God and the Word of God in a man causing him to truly believe in Christ. 

It is the spiritual function or life force birthed in the regenerated or saved man. 

This faith produces good works, which are essentially the fruit of the Spirit in all righteousness, goodness and truth. 

Therefore, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, however faith is not alone (if you understand that). 

Faith without works in no faith.

Faith acts. Faith loves. Faith obeys. Faith is alive to God. Faith works by love. Faith has works. Good works done in love. Faith loves God. 

Faith loves man because faith loves God. 

Faith knows God. True faith does. 

So again, we are not saved by the works we do. 

We do the works because we are saved, and thus know, love and fear God. 

Matter of fact, people do falsely religious works of self-righteousness devoid of the Spirit, Life and Love of God. 

Salvation is not based on works but it produces works. 

These things should be clear even to the believer.

Then, working out one’s salvation does not mean saving oneself by one’s works. 

It basically entails making sure your salvation, making certain your election unto grace, and is the practical work done by the believer in giving themselves or yielding themselves to spiritual growth (aka, sanctification) in order to bear fruit unto God who has called them to salvation and to conformity to the Image of Christ. 

The proof that God has worked in you His gift of salvation is that you will work out that salvation, you will abide in Him, you will continue, you will endure, you will fear Him, you will tremble at His word, you will be broken over any remaining sin in you, you will humble yourself before His mighty Hand, you will study His word, you will repent of your sins, your will confess your faults one to another, you will forgive, you will pray, you will deny yourself, you will take up your cross, you will follow Christ, you will pursue peace with all men and holiness (used interchangeably with sanctification, meaning set apart, separated from the world to God, or different) without which no man shall see the Lord. 

A final word: 

Without the grace of God, no man can be saved. Salvation is not what a man can ever achieve by himself and for himself. 

But when Grace comes, and faith is ignited through the Spirit-powered Word, Gospel or Truth of Christ, a new heart or man is born and good works flow out of it as a new, true nature — to the praise and glory of God the Father and Christ the Savior of sinners who He calls in so great a salvation to be saints, who are given the right to become His children, part of His family, who inherit His Everlasting Kingdom! 

This is the result of God’s great grace! 

This is found in Christ alone!