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Are We Justified By Any Works?

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Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles

A querist asks, “Are we justfied by any works?”

The Bible teaches that we cannot be justified before God by our own meritorious works (Romans 10:3; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5). In the Jewish mind, if anyone could have had a reason to glory in his own accomplishments, it would have been Abraham (Romans 4:1). Paul, however, argues in Romans 4:2-8 that if Abraham had been justified on the ground of his works (meritorious works), he could have gloried (Romans 4:2) because he would have earned his own reward as a debt paid by God (Romans 4:4). However, Paul demonstrates that Genesis 15:6 (quoted in Romans 4:3) precludes this conclusion.

Abraham’s legal standing of righteousness in God’s sight was simply “counted” (KJV) or “reckoned” (ASV) or “credited” (NIV). His justification was not based on any personal works which Abraham could boast of, but was based on God’s grace accepted by faith (Romans 4:5) and the obedience that faith induces (Hebrews 11:8-19; James 2:21-24). We are not justified by our own works of righteousness (Romans 10:3; Ephesians 2:9; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5), nor are we justified by the works of the law of Moses (Romans 3:20). We are, however, justified by “good works (i.e., works of righteousness), which God hath before ordained [prepared – marginal reading] that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

In Acts 10:35, the scripture says, “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him [God]” (Emphasis mine). Here, we have the inspired apostle, Peter saying that God accepts works of righteousness. The Psalmist says in Psalms 119:172, “all thy commandments are righteousness.” Thus we are accepted as “righteous” before God on the basis of our obedience to God’s commandments (1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:22-24). Our Lord said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). He also said, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love: even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10). In 2 John 9, John tells us that, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.”

Abiding in the doctrine of Christ (which includes the commandments of Christ, i.e., works of righteousness), are therefore necessary to be pleasing to the Father. The Bible teaches that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Christ tells us that faith is a “work” according to John 6:29.

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