One of the biggest confusions that a new believer has in their new walk with Jesus Christ, is the difficulty in understanding “Works” for God. “Faith” and “Works” seem interchangeable in their mind, and usually results in one of four misunderstandings that can slow down their growth toward Him if not understood.
1. Confusing faith with Works –
You are saved by what you “believe”. This belief is called Faith.
You will be rewarded for what you “do” for God. This is called “Works”.
Faith = What you believe.
Works = What you do.
You must have Faith to be saved. Once you have been saved, your desire for works grows deeper and deeper. God knows this desire, (a form of love from a true believer), and will use that believer for His works when He chooses.
2. Thinking worship of God is Works –
Prayer, praise, and singing are wonderful ways we communicate with God, and God refreshes our soul and guides us to do His Will. Worship is great. Worship is for God. When we worship, we are giving to God. The LORD God is such a loving Father, that when we give to Him, we receive His love back with full intensity. We bask in that warmth, and desire it continuously. However, worship is NOT works.
Works for the LORD God is allowing him to use your mind, body and soul for His Will, and accomplishing what His Needs are in the manner He Chooses.
3. Thinking their works must match the spiritual works of everybody else –
True workers of the LORD God accomplish tasks not duplicated by anybody else. Let me try to explain.
Our LORD God is a great and awesome God. If He chooses a person to do His Works, He does not randomly pick them and put them into a situation over their heads. Quite the contrary, when the LORD God has chosen a person to do His Works, He gives them the knowledge, understanding and desire necessary to accomplish His Will.
This is done in very many ways, but usually in a very controlled and methodical way. Sometimes situations require quick responses in God’s world, but most often, a person that does God’s Work has been trained to do that very thing that He Wills. I can say with certainty, that I have never witnessed a person doing the Works of God that has copied the activities or actions of others. It’s an individual choice that God makes, and it’s an individual effort that He uses to groom His Chosen workers.
4. Not having a foundation built before they try to do the works of God –
The LORD God gave us His Word so we would know. If we do not have knowledge, He is not going to use us as His workers. His best workers are those who have the most knowledge of Him.
There is only one way to get knowledge of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and that is through the study of His Word at His leading. It is impossible to have any deep understanding of His Word, unless the foundation of Jesus Christ is formed. Once this foundation is established, deep teaching can began to take place, and a Christian can gain a new and deeper understanding of the things of God, and be prepared for the Works the LORD God Wills to be accomplished.
It is usually apparent to mature Christians when God has a new and challenging work to be completed by them. It is at this point of realization, that it becomes important to separate the things of natural life with the things of God in the spiritual life.
This conflict between the spiritual life and natural life exists continuously, but stops the works of God cold if we are unable to separate the two. If our soul, our body and mind is given to the LORD God, and we walk with Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is within us, then the mundane tasks of everyday life seem to be useless, as well they should.
The Bible uses a word called “vanity” which means nothingness. Dishes, laundry, yard work, cleaning, all of the everyday and mundane tasks of social approval in the natural life are usually “vanity”. Often Christians will feel the tug of their focus toward God, and the expectations of the world pulling at them from the opposite direction.
If God is moving you to do a Work for Him, forget everything and do it. What an honor to be chosen by Him to do His Will and complete a spiritual work that will glorify Him in Heaven!
