Works

     In the great high priestly prayer of Jesus in John 17 He says, "I glorified you (the Father) on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do." ( John 17:4 ESV) As we follow His example ( 1 Corinthians 11:1) let us do the works that He has given us to do. Immediately after explaining "by grace you are saved through faith... not a result of works, ( Ephesians 2:8-9) Paul writes, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." While we are not saved by our own efforts, we respond to the salvation of God with obedience through doing good works.
     Consider the letter to Titus. Those who do not believe "deny Him by their works" and are "disobedient, unfit for any good work." ( Titus 1:16) In contrast Titus is told to be "a model of good works." (2:7) God's people have been redeemed  to be "zealous for good works." (2:14) The Holy Spirit through Paul continues to reinforce this theme, writing in 3:1 "to be ready for every good work."  Verse 8 reads, "The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works." Verse 14 gives a partial explanation of these works. "And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful."
     But this does not fit in with the "American" gospel. We say that God's grace and love covers everything, that He will do all that is necessary. We don't have to obey or do good works because we are not under the "Law." We are not under the law of Moses, and the Holy Spirit does give us the desire and the power to do anything pleasing to God. But we must respond.
     What if Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemane, had said to the Father, "You are a God of grace and love. Surely you don't need me to go to the cross. People might get the wrong idea that you are some kind of sadist. There must be some other way." Obviously Jesus asked if there was another way,but He also did the will of His Father. May we also glorify God by doing the works that He has prepared for us to do.