With good reason, Paul calls us to “work out” our salvation in fear and trembling. True faith in Jesus is demonstrated and proved by good works, but good works don’t just happen. We have to train our bodies to perform them. Today’s reading from The Disciplined Life is from page 8:
“This is not to suggest for a moment that salvation is through good works; salvation is only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and His righteousness. But genuine faith, Paul and all the apostles insisted, is unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
“This being the case, it simply means that unless we practice our faith, by exercising the members of our bodies in specific acts of obedience, in every area of our lives, then we can have but slight assurance that we have any sincere faith in Christ at all.
“For faith must become visible through bodily acts—words spoken, kindnesses extended, help given, sacrifices endured, generosity expressed, and so forth. And our bodies, still to a large extent subject to the inward law of sin, are by nature unable to comply with the demands of faith. If we are to manifest those good works which are the evidence that Christ has risen from the grave, we shall have to bring our bodies into subjection and qualify them for service to the Lord in every area of life.“We must practice the practices that help us nurture evidence of the reality of our faith.”
For reflection or discussion
1. Works don’t save us, but being saved issues in good works. What kind of works? Where should we do them?
2. What are you presently doing to get your body in shape for good works?
The good works we do as believers will differ markedly from the self-interested and mostly sinful works we did before we knew the Lord. The more we “work out” our bodies, getting them in shape to serve the Lord, the more good works of love will flow from us, Jesus said, like rivers of living water. Share today’s podcast with a friend. Encourage your friend to listen to the podcast as well. Set up a time when you can get together to discuss what you’re learning from our book, The Disciplined Life. Encourage one another in the good works of love to which God calls us. You can download a free copy of The Disciplined Life by going to The Ailbe Bookstore. Get yours, then share it with all your friends.
T. M. Moore
