”Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night“ (Psalm 1:1-2).
“For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).
A common churchly sentiment these days is that “works,” meaning in its most consistent signification the entirety of human activity (our thoughts, words, and deeds; the highest accomplishments and lowest degradations of human spirit), do not save us. Strictly speaking and in the most proper sense of the word “save” (there are other senses; Luke 7:50; James 5:15), this is inarguably true to the point that its alternative is absurd: the situation we find ourselves in before God and in the world is such that the thought of wiggling our way out on our own is silly. God is not a “thing” or “someone” (like us!) that we can sweet talk or handle or pull one over on, as networked as these kinds of efforts are into our religiosity. Sin is not one prong of the fork which stands before our simple, unaffected decision-making at any given moment. As in Paul’s famous words so often invoked when discussing these things, “you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked” (Ephesians 2:1). No one escapes that “you,” no matter how much money they give out, how often they volunteer at the food pantry, how many insults they swallow, or kindnesses they show.
However, I suspect a certain disease has accompanied this evangelical truism—of which indeed we ought to remind ourselves unceasingly—in the Church. Alongside a recognition of the dangerous potential of works to co-opt our souls, turning gratitude into pride, has settled a distrust or fear of works. It seems as though we have diagnosed “works” as the problem. In its most fatal variety, we’ve rendered works irrelevant to the Christian life. Why give out money, volunteer at the food pantry, swallow your insults, or show kindness?
We really ought to keep reading that famous passage, because Paul continues, “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). This means that God’s grace and our works don’t squeeze each other out. They don’t occupy the same space in the same way. God created us in Jesus. He prepared our good works. And we walk in them. God paves the road of our lives (including our works!) in Jesus and the significance of our God-graced, faith-founded actions is to stay on the road. He paints the whole picture of “Tim” in Christ (as Christ, not me!) and my responsibility, the effect of God’s grace through faith, is to live into, conform to that picture.
Today, I’d recommend to you a simple, but worthwhile practice: reflect upon the fact that no one could by any means make the birth of Jesus happen. It’s a radical eruption within the world of our projects. Rather, the birth of Jesus makes us happen. It captures us and envelopes us, one way or another.
Further Reading: Psalm 1; Isaiah 1:10-20; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Luke 20:1-8
Written by Guest House Theologian, Tim Morgan. These reflections are a complimentary addition to our Advent Blend Coffee Bags. Scan the QR code each day to read the most recent reflection.
More Advent reflections can be found here.