Conversations from the Coalface
Faith and works
This is a series of imaginary conversations between a Christian and the Lord Jesus discussing and sometimes wrestling with aspects of the life of faith.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no man can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do, Ephesians 2: 8-10.
Do you remember that visit to the hospital the other day, Lord? As I approached the entrance, the automatic doors opened in front of me and I walked straight in.
I know it sounds silly but I started to think about the Pearly Gates, and for a moment wondered if they operate the same way. You know, you just turn up and they let you in.
A lot of us down here somehow think that if we don’t commit major sins like adultery, murder or bank robbery then heaven’s gates will swing open when we die. Telling the odd white lie and perhaps cheating a little on our tax return doesn’t matter too much.
After all, let’s not get too religious. I often find myself thinking in this way; if I live a reasonably good life then admission to eternal bliss is automatic.
Put another way, I think I can buy a ticket to heaven by my own efforts.
Poor old Martin Luther was like that wasn’t he? He punished himself for years trying to obey all the rules in the book so that he would be a better monk. In reality, he was trying to gain your favour by his own efforts.
That’s serious, Lord, isn’t it because it means that we think that your death on the cross wasn’t quite enough to save us. You needed a little of our help.
But there’s another angle to this isn’t there Lord?
Do you remember the time when I received that internet message about a prize? I was at work at the time. A flashing message on my computer screen told me that I had been specially chosen out of thousands of others as the winner of a fabulous family cruise in the Caribbean, all expenses paid. All I had to do was phone a number in Florida. I was really excited and rushed off home to make the call.
A smooth sounding voice on the other end said that to claim my prize I had to give my credit card number and pay a small registration fee. At that point alarm bells started to ring and reality kicked in. A cynical inner voice told me that this offer was too good to be true and was also very likely to be a con. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, the voice said. So I hung up.
But we can learn something from that, Lord. Can’t we? We can miss your offer of salvation simply because it sounds too good to be true.
In 1508, after years of searching, Martin Luther finally discovered a simple truth that had been staring him in the face through all those years of struggle. He realised that salvation is not a prize to be won but a free gift to be received; a gift given out of the abundance of your grace and love for us.
Grace, I like that word. It means unmerited favour.
We can’t earn our salvation, it’s a free gift. We just have to believe that you died for our sins on the cross and even the ability to do that is a gift from you.
Why? So that none of us can boast, claiming that we achieved salvation through our own efforts. Now that really is good news. Thank you Lord.
Now we’ve got that sorted, what about those jobs you wanted me to do for you?
Mike Worthing