Saved For Good Works

It’s so easy to forget that we are saved for a purpose, that salvation is not an end in itself. It makes us think thoughts like, “Why doesn’t Jesus just take us home the moment we are saved? Wouldn’t that make sense?”

The problem is that it wouldn’t make sense. We are saved for good works. It’s a source of much confusion, causing some of us to believe that we are saved BY good works. It can become a pride thing whereby we judge ourselves and others by the quality of our good works. It can cause us to question the whole concept of salvation, concluding that if there aren’t sufficient “good works” can there really ever have been salvation.

Probably the biggest problem is that many of us have lost the concept of joy in accomplishment. Real pleasure isn’t found in recreation; it comes in accomplishing something worthwhile. It’s built into our nature. Real joy comes from doing what we were created to do, in finding and working out our purpose.

If life has become joyless, we need to seek out and perform good works. If we have become tired and frustrated we need to reconsider whether what we are doing are really the good works we are called to or just “duties” we have fallen into.

A good work is a deed performed by the person called to it in the power of the one who has made the call. Just doing things that need to be done are not “good works.” Doing things on our own strength are not “good works” either. The key is practice at listening to and responding to the call. It usually starts with small things. We feel an urge to do something. It is usually something beyond our normal activity and outside our comfort zone, something we will need divine help to accomplish. When we step forward and do that thing, we are blessed by the knowledge that something special has occurred: a divine act performed by a human agent.

Be alert and be ready. Good works are in your future.

Be blessed.

Nick