Faith, Works, and the Finished Work of the Cross

"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (St. Jn. 19:30) KJV

Recently I received a letter from a dear brother who shared with me a conversation between two believers discussing the relationship between faith and works.

One assumed the position that salvation is a free-gift by grace through faith; the other the position that obedience is an essential component and evidence of salvation.

Without trying to be critical or judgmental, I believe such discussions exist because many believers do not have an understanding or appreciation of what is commonly referred to in theology as, the finished work of the cross.

More importantly, some believers do not appreciate nor understand how Christ's finished work of substitution and atonement relates to the justification, sanctification, and preservation of the believer.

More than good news:

All of my life I have heard many teach that the gospel is the good news. However, the gospel of Jesus Christ is more than simply good news.

But, what is it about this good news that makes it so good?

The gospel is the good news of the finished work of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

When we preach the message of the cross, we are preaching the good news of the finished work of Jesus Christ. The good news is, as a result of the atoning sacrifice of Calvary, the believer's sanctification and perfection is a completed and finished work!

The writer of Hebrews says,

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified (Heb. 10:14.)

Concerning the gospel, the apostle Paul writes,

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith (Rom 1:16-17) emphasis mine.

Legalism:

In Paul's day, legalism (the concept of righteousness through works) was rampant in the church. Legalists, also known as Judaizers taught that unless believers were circumcised and kept the Law of Moses they could not be saved.

These early believers did not understand the finished work of the cross and believed that righteousness was achieved through obedience.

While the legalist would have us to believe that the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to works (i.e. obedience), Paul says the righteousness of God is revealed (manifested or made known) from faith to faith.

Why is this important?

It is important because the self-righteousness of Man appeals to the ego and pride inherent within the sin-nature and causes Man to glory in his works and to boast. Because of this, Man always regresses in his religious experience from faith to works.

If we investigate we will discover that from Genesis - Revelation God has always called Man from the religion of works to faith in the blood atonement. Through his Son, Jesus Christ, we are called to repentance from dead works and [to] faith toward God (Heb. 1:2, 6:1).

Regarding faith and obedience, the New Testament does speak of a relationship between faith and obedience in regard to righteousness. However:

Faith, righteousness, and obedience are always presented within the context of the finished work of Christ, and is referred to in scripture as the obedience of faith and as the fruit of righteousness (Rom. 16:26; Heb. 12:11; Jam. 3:8).

The obedience of faith:

Within the context of the finished work of Christ, this obedience is simply nothing more than the fruit, by-product, or net result of the imputation of the gift of righteousness and is a result of the believers justification (Rom. 5:17; 4:25).

It is within this context of faith, righteousness, and obedience that Abraham offered Isaac (See Gen. 15:5, 22:1-14; Jam. 2:21-22)

However, what needs to be understood by all (and especially the legalist) is that the obedience of faith evidenced in the life of the believer is in actuality the net result, or fruit of saving faith, or, the fruit of righteousness.

When properly understood, obedience therefore is the fruit of the gift of righteousness which is imputed to the believer by faith. Thus, obedience is not the grounds or basis of the believer's justification, but is the result of the believer's justification.

It is justification by faith alone that affords the believer perfect righteous standing before God. This is only possible within the context (confines) of the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Just as justification gives the believer perfect legal and moral [righteous] standing before God, sanctification then, is the subsequent work of the cross that produces or yields the fruit of obedience.

As in justification, sanctification is by grace and is the work of the crucified and risen savior transforming the life of the believer through the agency of the Holy Spirit.

Paul understood this work of justification and sanctification by grace and therefore could write,

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live (justification); yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me (sanctification) (Gal. 2:20) emphasis mine

Herein lays the issue:

You see, the legalist thinks of righteousness as the result of faith and obedience, and not as the fruit of faith. In his mind he sees:

1) Faith > Obedience > Righteousness

The grace believer however, thinks of obedience as the fruit of faith and righteousness. In his mind he sees:

2) Faith > Righteousness > Obedience

Nevertheless, the scriptures reveal that obedience apart from faith in the finished work of Christ [out] is self-righteousness. However, Paul taught us that it is only by the obedience of one that many are made (appointed or declared) righteous.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous (Rom. 5:19).

Notice the scriptures do not say, through the obedience of many shall many be made righteous, but through the obedience and righteousness of one (Christ alone) we are made (appointed or declared) righteous.

Essential to understanding the gospel of salvation by grace through faith is asking the question, why?

God chose salvation by grace through faith in order to protect Man from the sin of pride and boasting, and to preserve the glory of God.

Paul writes, that we are saved by grace through faith, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8-9), and

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ... (Gal. 6:14)

In conclusion, the self-righteous nature of Man and the perfectionism encouraged through legalism have hindered many from experiencing the grace and liberty that is in Christ Jesus.

In spite of the challenges and struggles we may experience in our Christian journey, we must realize that human behavior is always inconsistent and imperfect (1 Jn. 5:10-13). Therefore, Satan will use legalism to undermine and destroy our confidence in God.

When we fail, Satan will always seek to deceive us through the deception of works and self-righteousness, in order to cause us to doubt who we are in Christ, and what He has accomplished on your behalf.

When we succeed, Satan will always try to deceive us through pride, so that we may become like him, puffed up and exalted. Then we are tempted to take our eyes off of Jesus and the finished work of the cross so that we may take stock of our own works or that of others.

This is a trap of the enemy to get our eyes off of Jesus and upon our weaknesses, failures, and imperfection. But, don't fall for it.

Satan is a liar and the father of it! In stead of looking to obedience as evidence that we are saved, look to Christ alone. Look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2).

Calvary is the evidence that you have been saved (not your walk of obedience). The fact that we have doubt because we struggle in our walk with Christ does not negate nor contradict in any degree that we have been born again, or what we have received by virtue of the cross.

As believers we must realize that our perfection is in Christ, not in ourselves. Otherwise, we will be either led to the throne of pride and boasting or to the pit of guilt and despair.

Salvation is not based on our ability (or capacity) to obey either God or man. Salvation is based solely on our ability to simply trust in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. It is based on the abandonment of self-righteousness and any merit of our own, and trusting solely in the merit of another, even Christ.

Copyright © 2010, All rights reserved

In 2006 Charles Smoot founded The Grace Network, a "Church Planting Movement" (CPM) based in Maui, Hawaii.

In 2009 Charles and his wife Helen founded Simple Church Ministries of Lancaster, a local House Church community dedicated to the message of Sovereign Grace, House church evangelism, and discipleship.

A published author of the book "Fallen From Grace," Charles and his wife Helen enjoy planting House and "Simple" churches and encouraging those who are called to House church ministry.

You can find out more about Charles and Simple Church Ministries at http://www.CharlesSmoot.org

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