The word “work” describes something that is accomplished through effort or activity, and may refer to physical or mental labor. A person’s works are the achievements of the tasks they have undertaken; the outcome or product of their effort.
Our walk—the manner in which we conduct our life—produces works. These works can be good, proper, maturing, or relate to darkness, unfruitful, malignantly evil, dead, lawless, and ungodly.
In Joppa, during the early church, Tabitha a disciple was a woman who was full of good (beneficial) works and mercy (Acts 9:36). The Apostle Peter was in Lydda, near Joppa, when the word came to him that she passed away (Acts 9:37). The men sent to Peter implored him to come (Acts 9:38). As a sign to the Jews, God used Peter to restore life to Tabitha, whose name translated as Dorcas (Acts 9:40). The work of her hands involved making tunics and garments for the benefit of the widows in the city (Acts 9:39).
In the presence of King Agrippa, Paul declared that he was not unpersuaded by the heavenly vision he received on the road to Damascus, but first declared the resurrected Lord in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout the region of Judea, and finally to the Gentiles. His message was that they should all change their minds and turn to God, doing works worthy of a change of mind (Acts 26:20). These works involve a life lived out from faith, for faith without works is dead (James 2:20). Therefore, as a person believes, so a person will act.
Through our works from our flesh, we cannot be justified before God (Romans 3:20). Nor can we be justified through works of the law, for they are out from the flesh for the purpose to present ourselves as righteous through our own self-effort (Romans 9:32). Since salvation and the new life we possess in Christ is by grace, it cannot be out from works (Romans 11:6).
Works are different from sin. Although sin is a work, not all works are sinful. The works that a human produces through self-effort to seek to be justified are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Each man will answer for his works before God, and be recompensed accordingly (Romans 2:6). God will come and execute judgment on all those who do ungodly works (Jude 14–15). The works of the unbeliever are of darkness. They produce malignantly evil works that are unfruitful, ungodly, lawless, and dead. At the great white throne, when the dispensations of man are completed, all those who are unsaved will answer for their works (Revelation 20:12–13).
Even the grace believer’s works will be tested, as though by fire (1 Corinthians 3:13). This is not something that the Christian should fear, but should respect (1 Peter 1:17). Any work that is not worthy will be destroyed, although he himself will be saved (1 Corinthians 3:14–15). Therefore, let us pay attention to the types of works we produce in our lives, building upon the one true foundation, Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:4; 1 Corinthians 3:10–11).
For the grace believers, God has prepared good (beneficial) works for them to walk in (Ephesians 2:10). These works involve a life based upon faith and conduct that applies grace. God has given the Church pastors even teachers, to bring the saints to a oneness of the faith, unto a mature man, to equip them for a work of ministry for the edification of the Church (Ephesians 4:12). God has begun a good work in us, and will continue it until the day of Christ (Philippians 1:6).
We are to have no fellowship (sharing in common) with the works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). We, who were once alienated and enemies in our thoughts by malignantly evil works, are now reconciled by Christ (Colossians 1:21). There are many today who claim to be Christians, professing to know God while their works deny Him. These are men and women whose works fail to show a quality of goodness when examined (Titus 1:16).
As those who are saved by grace through faith, we are not to seek to lay again a foundation of dead works, which relate to the law and the basic principles of the world system: touch not, taste not, handle not, and the observation of days. Instead, we are to go on from the elementary principles of the Christ to full maturity (Hebrews 6:1). Our works are to be out from love for the saints (1 John 3:18). These are not works of self-effort, but applying what we have in Christ so that our works are good, expressing a proper opinion of God by living out who we are in Christ.
