By Paul Montgomery

Good works matter. Visit a county like Thailand where Buddhism is strong or watch a TV programme about the exciting 30-day trek to Santiago de Compostela or read Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” and it is clear that many people invest a lot of time and effort in trying to be better and do ‘good works’ (going on a pilgrimage for some people can be as much about the journey as reaching the destination as well as the camaraderie it can be an exercise in self-improvement/self-discovery).

But what is the right view of faith and works? Everyone has faith. If someone says “I have no faith”, that is a position of faith even if they can’t see it or don’t want to admit it. So where do good works fit into all this? Surely Christians are meant to be good people aren’t they?

This is the Apostle James’ point in his letter. Some people were coming out with pious words but failing to show compassion to their brother or sister in need in the new testament church. James’ point is that faith and deeds are not mutually exclusive; they go together – one is the natural outworking of the other. In James’ efforts to correct the heart attitude of congregants in the church with his emphasis on good works, some have mistakenly used such verses to justify their position about salvation by works.

But only faith matters!! We are saved by faith alone in the Cross of Christ but saving faith is never alone. The wise thief on the Cross is often presented as an example of salvation by faith. He didn’t have much time to do good deeds and certainly not enough time to undergo baptism. Yet we know the wise thief was saved because of the words of the Lord Jesus to him from the Cross – see Luke 23:43. But the thief’s saving faith expressed itself in his profession of faith. In Matthew 7, Jesus taught about every good tree bearing good fruit. Apples appear on an apple tree because it is an apple tree. The apples don’t make the tree an apple tree. Likewise, non-Christians ought to recognise Christians by the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:22-23).

If you are not yet a Christian, why not abandon efforts to justify yourself before God in your own efforts; trust alone instead in what Christ has DONE for you on the Cross. If you are a Christian who takes pride in how much you do in the church, be careful! Ask for God’s help to keep trusting in Christ’s death alone for your salvation so you can serve him with renewed joy. If you are a Christian who is feeling low and finding church life a struggle at the moment, pray to your Father in heaven, asking Him to work in you so that you are once again able to serve him freely and wholeheartedly.