We have all heard the verse that says I am “saved by grace, through faith, not by works” Eph 2:8 so that I cannot boast about my great works and prove to God that He must let me into Heaven because I am so worthy. No, it is my Faith alone in Christ and His Grace alone, extended to me, that allows me entrance into heaven. So it is clear that my works don’t get me into heaven, and my anti-works (sin) doesn’t keep me out of heaven. Yet, as the verse says, “I am called to good works” Eph 2:10, so clearly works do play a part in this process, lets call that Sanctification. Christ declares me Justified, and then He sanctifies me through His power, to accomplish the good works he has prepared for me in advance to do. Interesting, He has already prepared “in advance” Eph 2:10 all the things he wants me to do, He just hasn’t told me about all of them yet. He is funny that way, it is kind of like a need to know thing. He knows, but he doesn’t tell me until I need to know. It is probably ok though, as I would most likely get overwhelmed if I knew too much about His entire plan for my life. Ok, so back to the anti-works thing. Since “we have been justified by faith” Rom 5:1, I am going to Heaven, but I still make some really bad decisions (sin) that I regret afterwords, and yet somehow I keep making those same decisions over and over again. Why in the heck do I do that? Why would I say or do something that even as I am saying or doing it, I know is wrong? Well, as is often the case, the answer is pretty simple. When I say or do something that I know is wrong, I am believing the lie. So what lie am I believing? Well, it could be the lie that nobody loves me, or the lie that what I am about to do will make me feel good, or perhaps it is the lie that if I don’t protect myself, then nobody else will. Of course these are only examples of the lies we tell ourselves to justify our words or actions. Hmm.. Maybe that could be a clue to helping me realize I am about to turn away from God, when I start trying to justify myself. You see, I am already justified in Christ, so there is no need for me to justify my thoughts, words or actions, that is unless I already know that this particular work isn’t one that God pre-planned for me to do. Lord, help me to stop believing the lies I hear in my head, and to believe only You.
