NOT OF WORKS
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We have earlier been shown in this chapter the condition of the sinner. He is said to be spiritually dead. Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) Then in verse twelve of this chapter he is said to be in this world without hope! Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Yet sill the religious community insists on the sinner “making a decision” in order to “be saved” and to escape damnation. But how can a spiritually dead soul do anything to accomplish his own salvation? They reason that, “I prayed and God saved me.” But that can’t be true. For it can only be “God saved me, and then I prayed!” For no sinner ever wanted a new heart until he already had one. Therefore salvation can’t be of works due to the condition of the sinner.
In the parable of the Prodigal Son the father clearly states that his son was dead, even though we know of the son’s continued existence in the far country! Luke 15:22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
And we have the Lord’s revelation that he would resurrect his, then present-day spiritually dead sinners in spiritual regeneration. And then to prove it to be so, he would resurrect them from their graves in his final physical resurrection. John 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
And the Apostle Paul writes of this same truth in his Colossian letter. Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 3:1 ¶ If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Then it also can’t be of man’s works as the unique Lamb of God, who alone was destined to “take away the sin of the world,” has already accomplished a full and complete redemption, satisfying the Father! Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
And can there be a sane thought as to any fallen, depraved sinner ever being able to have Almighty God examine the toil and labor of their heart in this matter of redemption and accepting it to the satisfaction of His will? The Father has been satisfied. The Son has strongly proclaimed in the midst of his sacrificial work, “It is finished!” John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. John 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Even Christ’s perfect and complete work, when it is rejected by the hypocritical religionist, cannot be duplicated. Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. It was necessary for it to be accomplished only once! Hebrews 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Therefore to even think to substitute one’s own works in the place of Christ’s, is an abomination to God! As we have often reported to you, the Lord Jesus defined those who spoke of their “wonderful works” as “ye that work iniquity.” (Matt. 7:21-23)
And finally, there has to be the matter of substitution in order for there to be the matter of representation. For except that one has the God-appointed substitute for their sins, they cannot have the privilege of a God-accepted representative before His throne! 2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Romans 8:26 ¶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Therefore we can clearly see that it cannot be a matter of religious effort in striving for a level of morality, but the substitution of God’s Lamb in the imputation of righteousness that is only the true and acceptable work to provide our redemption! Romans 8:1 ¶ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
“Dressed in His righteousness alone;
Faultless to stand before His throne!”
Psalm 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
Revelation 4:10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
Your soul’s servant,