Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-25; 1 Timothy 6:1-2; Titus 2:9-11 (day one)
Christianity declares that faith and works are opposite approaches to salvation. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. . .it is a gift of God; not of works, lest any may should boast.”–Ephesians 2:8-9. “No one will be declared righteous. . . by the works of the law”–Romans 3:20. Given this gospel truth, a common mistake is to suggest that our faith is critical or negative toward work itself (industry, effort, even ambition) It isn’t! “I labored even more than all of them”, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15 (and without a hint of caution that he might, by saying so, drift back into legalism). “Faith without works is dead” echoes James 2. “Work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men.” says Colossians 3. One assignment common to every Christian is that we become steady, hard, dependable, honest, and effective WORKERS! We owe it to Christ because we trust Him.
