Works
Works are the evidence of our faith, what we do with what we believe, do we do what God commands.
If we are saved from sin as born again in Christ our lives should reflect this through our thoughts, attitude, words and actions.
God’s word is very clear on this subject, let’s start with the most complete description of works in relation to faith:
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
James 2:14-24
...And they too will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Works are found in the commandments in God's law, so let's go through the Bible and highlight the verses that talk about this.
"Works" in the The Old Testament
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Walking in God’s ways comes with a promise
(promised land first and God’s Kingdom in the end)
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God’s law is perfect
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God’s law restores the soul
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God’s precepts bring joy and freedom
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God’s commands give light
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Those who walk according to God’s law are blessed
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God’s way is a refuge for the blameless, but ruin for the wicked
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God’s power gives heart to obey His commands
So be careful to do as Yahweh your God has commanded you; you are not to turn aside to the right or to the left. You must walk in all the ways that Yahweh your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
The Law of Yahweh is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of Yahweh is sure, making wise the simple.The precepts of Yahweh are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of Yahweh are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of Yahweh.
I will always obey Your law, forever and ever. And I will walk in freedom, for I have sought Your precepts
The way of Yahweh is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
Moreover, the power of God was on the people in Judah to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and his officials according to the word of Yahweh.
I am Yahweh your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
"Works" in the teachings of Jesus
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Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill (make full, complete)
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We are to be perfect as our Heavenly Father
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The essence of the law is to treat others like you want to be treated
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It’s not enough to call on Jesus to enter God’s kingdom
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Only the ones who do God’s will will enter God’s kingdom
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The law is based on the commands to love God and your neighbor
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If you love God keep His commands
Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him."
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love.
"Works" in the teachings of Apostles
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Those who sin apart from the law will perish
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Those who sin under the law will be judged by the law
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The doers of the law will be declared righteous
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The work of the law is written on the hearts of gentiles
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Those who did not have the law will be judged by their consciences
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Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing
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Keeping God's commandments is what counts
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We should cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit
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God works in you to act on behalf of His purpose
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All Scripture equips for every good work
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Your actions can deny your words
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Be doers of the word and not hearers only
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Perfect law gives freedom
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Faith without works is dead
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We can be sure that we know God if we keep His commandments
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Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God
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God’s commandments are not burdensome
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We must walk in love
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous. 14 Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them 16 on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.
Romans 13:8-9
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself”.
Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commandments is what counts.
Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
So if anyone cleanses himself of what is unfit, he will be a vessel for honor: sanctified, useful to the Master, and prepared for every good work.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves…But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.
By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.
By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome
And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love.
As you can see from these scriptures the essence of the law and the commandments is in relationship with God and with people based on unconditional love. To understand what this love looks like we will have to do another study, because true love comes with justice and discipline and may not look like love to the ones who do not love truth. So for now let’s be in tune with our conscience as a God given guide to do his will and continue to study his word.
What about commandments that were for the priests, what Paul calls "the works of the law" in Romans 3:28?
Because we are under a different priesthood that was transferred to Jesus under the new covenant, those commands that had mainly to do with covering sin transformed from being “shadows of things to come” under the old covenant to spiritual reality in Jesus under the new covenant, likewise was circumcision which turned from circumcision of the flesh into the circumcision of the heart.
You can look at the page on The New Covenant for more details.