How Faith and Works are Vitally Connected

I had no peace. I agreed that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I also believed I must live up to a certain standard for God to accept me into heaven. I was not confident my good works were good enough. Do you have the same struggle?

Finally, I found the peace the Bible promises (Luke 1:79, John 14:27, John 16:33, Acts 10:36, Romans 5:1). Let me share how you can find it too.

Peace comes by putting good works in their proper place. I fish. Let me use my car, a trailer hitch, and a boat trailer to illustrate how good works fit into the big picture of salvation.

My car’s engine illustrates God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). I need its power because my boat trailer is too heavy to push or pull to my destination.

My virtuous deeds, no matter how great or many, are not nearly powerful enough to get me into heaven. To be good enough, they must measure up to Jesus’ sinless life. No chance (Romans 3:23)!

Salvation is not based on faith plus my good works. That would be like someone driving me and my trailer halfway to my fishing spot. The driver stops and unhooks the trailer from the car, making me muscle it the rest of the way.

I cannot do it. It weighs too much. Nevertheless, most religions attempt to earn God’s favor through good works.

I walked that road for a mile or two. Peace remained elusive. But there is a proper place for good works in my life.

They cannot justify me before a holy and righteous God (Galatians 2:16). Trying to earn God’s favor gets me nowhere, brings no peace, frustrates me, and burns me out.

My car’s trailer hitch illustrates repentance and living faith. Repentance is turning from living for myself to living for God. Living faith acts on God’s grace, character, and promises.

That is part of what Jesus means when He tells me to repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15). When grace, repentance, and living faith flow in my life, love-motivated and obedience-driven good works inevitably follow (James 2:17-26) as my trailer follows my car.

It is not automatic. I must moment by moment decide to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) and a good steward of God’s resources (1 Corinthians 4:2). I must choose to live for Him who died for me (2 Corinthians 5:15).

I trust in the Holy Spirit to empower me for those virtuous deeds. I do them because I love Jesus, I am beyond grateful for His finished work of salvation through His death, burial, and resurrection, and I want to please Him. My good works do not add any merit to my salvation.

I cannot earn God’s favor through good works. If doing good works saved me, boasting would follow (Ephesians 2:9). I would take credit for what only God's grace can accomplish (Philippians 2:13).

In summary, God’s grace is the engine. Repentance and living faith transfer the engine’s power. Love and virtuous deeds follow like my trailer follows my car.

True repentance and living faith always produce fruit (Luke 3:8). Peace is part of that fruit (Galatians 5:22). I have nothing to boast about.

Jesus’ salvation is a finished work (John 19:30). Believing that has brought me abiding peace. The Lord is my shepherd. What is your takeaway? See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.

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God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 6,090 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 15,150 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.  

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