The body of Christ today is typically divided into two camps. We have the grace camp on one side and the works (faith) camp on the other.
The grace camp many at times emphasizes what God has done (God’s part) and the works camp on the other hand emphasizes what we have to do (our part).
The grace camp preaches it’s all up to God while the works camp preaches it’s all up to us.
Those in the grace camp will say,"Everything is the sovereignty of God. It's predetermined. There’s nothing you can do about it!" to which those in the works camp respond emphatically,"NO, you have to do this and that or God will not act on your behalf and nothing will happen!" and both contend that the other group is totally wrong.
But who is right?
Well, neither.
The Bible clearly teaches a balance between grace (God's part) and works (our part).
In Ephesians 2:8, Paul says we are saved by grace through faith.
Notice it’s a combination, or balance, of grace and faith.
God’s grace requires a response or action on our part.
If we were saved by grace alone, then that would mean automatic salvation for everyone since Paul says in Titus 2:11 that, the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, yet we know, not all men are saved.
However, if we're saved by faith alone, then no one would be saved because we’d have no grace to respond to or act on.
Paul goes on to ask the church in Philippi to work out their salvation. (see Philippians 2:12)
Now it’s important to note that he does not ask them to 'work for' but 'work out' their salvation.
There are many believers today trying to work for their salvation.
By this I mean they are trying to get God's approval and pat on the back and possibly a ticket to heaven, by their good deeds and their holy living.
Now, don't get me wrong.
There's nothing wrong with doing good things and living a holy life. In fact it's required of every professing believer.
The truth is, we are not saved by good works but we are saved for good works.
So good works and holy living are very important if you're a believer but they don't get God to approve you or get you to heaven.
If your good deeds and holy living could get you to heaven, then Jesus didn't have to die or to put it in Paul's words, He died in vain or an unnecessary or stupid death. (see Galatians 2:21)
The truth is Jesus already worked for our salvation (grace); Ours is to work out what has been worked in (faith).
Simply put, our is to appropriate by faith what God has made available by grace.
Paul says we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. (see Ephesians 1:3)
Peter echoes Paul's word and says we have been given everything we need for life and godliness. (see 2 Peter 1:3)
"But James, I don't see them!"
Well, that's because you need to work them out!
So in truth, there’s a part for God to play (grace) and a part for you to play (faith/works).
So grace and works are two sides of the same coin and taken independent of each other, will lead you into error.
If all you do is emphasize grace, you end up in error. On the other hand, if all you emphasize works, you end up in error as well.
Error is simply truth taken to the extreme or the exclusion of other truth.
So the two have to be balanced together otherwise just one or the other will kill you.
Think of grace and works like sodium and chloride.
Both sodium and chloride are poisons.
If you take either one of them by themselves in sufficient quantity, they'll kill you.
Yet if you mix sodium and chloride together, you get salt which you cannot do without.
Likewise, grace and works independent of each other are poisonous but balanced together sustain your Christian life.
Emphasizing one over the other is like a car driving down a narrow road with a ditch on either side and you’ll inevitably end up in one ditch or the other.
It doesn’t really matter which ditch you end up in; you still won’t get to your destination.
So the key to ensuring you keep your walk with God on the straight and narrow is striking a balance between the two because emphasizing on one over the other will sabotage you walk with God.
As a grace extremist, you will adopt a que sera sera attitude where you passively wait on God to do everything believing He is controlling everything in your life like a puppet master, while as a works extremist, you will try to arm twist Him by your good works, thinking your toil and effort will endear yourself to Him or force Him to act on your behalf.
So emphasizing on grace renders you passive, while emphasizing on works turns you into a religious Pharisee.
The truth is, it’s not all up to you but it’s also not all up to God.
The questions you need to ask yourself as believers is,"What part is God's responsibility, and what part is my responsibility (what I must do)?"
To give a few examples, if you’re a married couple and you're believing God for a baby, the giving is God’s part but the bumping bellies is yours.
You can pray until you turn blue or cry God a river but if you're not knocking boots, they'll be no cake baking in the oven.
Even the virgin Mary had to receive the seed of God's word to have baby Jesus.
If you're believing God for a job, the giving is God’s part but yours is to apply for jobs, prepare and go for interviews etc.
If you’re a farmer and you're believing God for a harvest, the harvest is God’s part but the cultivating, sowing, watering etc., of the land is yours.
If you're believing God for provision, then you must go out and find some work to do or start something, and God will bless the works of your hands. (see Deuteronomy 28:12)
Paul says if anyone is not willing to work, then they should not eat either! (see 1 Thessalonians 3:10)
If you're believing God for a spouse, the giving is God's part but you need to step out and be seen and also step out into God's calling for your life and allow Him to create opportunities for that godly encounter.
I hate to break it to you but as good as your spouse breaking into your house and y'all riding into the sunset sounds, that probably won't happen.
The truth is, God will not do by miracle what He expects you to do by obedience to godly principles that are clearly stipulated in His word.
God cannot override His word.
Grace always requires a response from us and that response is that of stepping out in faith.
Now this is not to say that faith makes God act but to say faith appropriates or seizes what God has already done in Christ Jesus.
Contrary to popular belief, faith doesn’t move God in that it springs Him into action, faith is agreeing with the fact that God has already moved in Jesus.
You don’t need to perform for God to perform, you need to perform because God has already performed.
God has done His part in Jesus now it’s time for you to do yours.
Christianity is not a replacement for discipline, excellence and hard work.
Christianity just adds favour and flavour to it.
If anything, being a Christian ought to make you push even harder to succeed in this life because it's no longer just about you (selfish ambition) but kingdom advancement (godly ambition), not render you passive waiting on the Lord to spoon-feed you.
Passiveness and a 'Lord gimme gimme' attitude should not be your portion if you truly grasp this revelation.
As a believer, you need to content for what is yours in Christ because there's an enemy out there who is also after your stuff.
Things will not just come to you automatically.
Things will not work out for you by sheer luck or magic.
So if you've subscribed to this mediocrity where you think, "everything should come easy now that I'm a Christian and I don't need to do much if anything at all,", I'm sorry to say you've subscribed to religion (doctrines of men) and not true Christianity as described in the word of God.
Paul the preacher of grace says I laboured (worked) more than they all! (see 1 Corinthians 15:10)
I believe no one balanced grace and works better than Paul (save for Jesus).
He's an exceptional example of how a believer ought to live their life and this is why he can confidently say imitate me as I imitate Christ! (see 1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Corinthians 4:16)
You need to apply the principles in God's word if you are going to see the manifestation of the grace of God in your life, otherwise you will never see it…you'll be one of those shouting I receive to every prophetic declaration until the Lord returns with nothing to show for it!
And not because God has not done it for you, but because you did not contend for it!
You will have let the grace of God in your life be in vain or of no effect, as Paul says, because you did not work it out! (see 1 Corinthians 15:10)
God says, “See, I have given…arise and contend for it!” (see Deuteronomy 2:24)
Christianity is NOT some holiday camp where everything is served on a silver platter or things fall on your lap!
So stop sitting around with your arms folded saying, “c’est la vie”, and taking whatever life hands you...rather step out in faith, apply God’s word and possess your possessions!
God bless you.
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