The doctrine of works righteousness (salvation by good works) sounds so ancient.  Really, when was the last time somebody urged you to shore up your trip to heaven or your security in Christ by taking care of a homeless person (or something like that)?  While no one is that blatant about it, I am certain that I and most of us really do struggle with the idea that salvation is by grace through faith and not of works in any way.  How many of us give to get and not to give – for example?

             I’m convinced we struggle with it for two reasons, both of which are variations on pride. 

1.  I’m too proud to admit I can bring nothing to God that He would find worthwhile enough to exchange my effort for some kind of favorable treatment.  Yet, the Bible makes it plain that our righteousness (works) is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).  Imagine that God comes to your house, and as a welcome gift you give Him a sack full of rags that you used to wipe your hands after you changed the oil.  We don’t want to admit it, but that’s how our works look to God.  The only work He honors for salvation is the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.  The basis for His favor is His love, mercy, and grace.  This is not a putdown to us but a tremendous source of assurance because God is reliable and unchanging and I am unreliable and changeable.
2.  I’m also too proud to admit that God doesn’t want my help in changing me.  To prove He doesn’t, He calls us dead (Ephesians 2:1), helpless (Romans 5:6), and tells us salvation is grace (pure gift) from start to finish (Romans 1:16-17).  Why, then, when we get sick do we double our church attendance, give more, and clean up our act as if God wouldn’t take care of our health unless we did more to get His attention?  God expects us to act like we belong to Him, but that belonging is His doing and my work or action is done only in response to the gift I have been freely given.  It is much more joyful to work for God because we’ve already been paid in full.  We don’t need to wheedle out of Him what it turns out He’s already given.  If He already loved the people who nailed Jesus to the cross while they were doing it, what do you honestly think you can do to earn more of His love for yourself?  I don’t go home at night hoping Patty will love me.  I go home because I’m already sure she does. 

             Can you give up the prideful and disconcerting notion that God requires you to do something to improve the level of His love for you?  Your Christian life will be a lot more joyful when you understand the assurance of the power of grace.