While fishing earlier this summer, my vintage 3 horse Johnson motor sputtered, quit, and wouldn't restart (it ended up to have the same problem as me – bad gas. . .). As Barb was rowing us home (I was staying alert and pointing out the proper direction), I remembered the illustration someone once shared with me: life is like a rowboat on its way to Heaven working with two oars, faith and good works. This, of course, is misleading. Ephesians 2: 8, 9 tells us, "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." Isaiah 64: 6 tells us that all of our good works are as "filthy rags" in the sight of the Lord as they would apply to our salvation. I love the quote by John Calvin, "Faith alone saves, but faith that saves is not alone." Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Many folks want to place little emphasis on good works because it doesn't save us. Only sincere faith can accomplish that through God's grace. However, the Bible is replete with admonitions for doing good works. Galatians 6:10 says, "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good onto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." James 4:17 says, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin." In James chapter 2 verse 26 we read, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without work is dead also." If we have faith, we are all responsible to do good works. But many say, "I'm old and I'm tired. I've done my share. It's someone else's turn." Psalms 92:12-14 says, "The righteous shall flourish like the palm trees, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and flourishing." Even in old age, they will still produce fruit. The cedar tree is always flourishing. Other trees produce fruit and then whither for a time (we call it "winter"). But, the cedar is always green. ". . . faith that saves is not alone." Be thankful for saving faith, and go about doing good.
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