1042. Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah Stayin' Alive (Stayin' Alive)

For those of us who have experienced the gospel of abundant grace, it can be interesting to think back to the BG days (before grace). The Christian "religion" so often touts the need for believers in Christ to "do" things to maintain salvation and God's acceptance or approval ... while trying to work on finding the right combination of works to keep their faith alive. Bible verses get quoted with misapplied context and without people thinking them through.

As the song says:
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk ...
Well now, I get low and I get high ...
Somebody help me ...

Religion screams that we need to demonstrate an outward walk as some sort of proof of our belief. Paul emphasized that we walk by faith and not by sight. We are gifted with God's righteousness—justification—and salvation apart from works. It occurs by grace through faith. "Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness" (Roman 4:4-5).

Let's confront the fear-based notion that faith is dead apart from works. If this were truly the case, it would require the application of grace plus law; and right standing with rules attached. It not only pushes people backwards and upside down to the time of their roller coaster Christianity during their BG days, but even further back to an obsolete covenant containing the impossible Mosaic law the Jewish people were under before the death and resurrection of Jesus. The faith that saves cannot be considered dead while salvation remains alive. They go hand in hand and cannot be separated. Religious legalists will suggest otherwise, but they fail to spell out precisely what works and exactly how much is required in the New Covenant in order to keep faith off of life support.

While works can be an important part of our life in Christ, the good news is that the gospel and our eternal redemption is rooted in the finished work of Jesus Christ.



   
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