What Should We DO with Our Lives?

When we are born again we have eternal life through Christ. But what should WE DO with our lives?

 

James 2:14-20 [James Moffatt Translation]:
My brothers, what is the use of anyone declaring he has faith, if he has no deeds to show? Can his faith save him? Suppose some brother or sister is ill-clad and short of daily food; if any of you says to them, “Depart in peace! Get warm, get food,” without supplying their bodily needs, what use is that ? So faith, unless it has deeds, is dead in itself. Someone will object, And you claim to have faith! Yes, and I claim to have deeds as well; you show me your faith without any deeds, and I WILL SHOW YOU BY MY DEEDS WHAT FAITH IS! You believe in one God? Well and good. So do the devils, and they shudder. But will you understand, you senseless fellow, that faith without deeds is dead?

Since we HAVE the faith of Jesus Christ, let’s show what we have to bless and heal and bring deliverance to others and ourselves. Here’s an interesting verse in the King James Version:

Philippians 2:1:
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION with fear and trembling.

But that doesn’t fit with what Paul also declares in Ephesians.

Ephesians 2:8,9:
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.

So what is the answer?

Romans 10:9,10 says we are saved when we confess Jesus as our Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead. That “foundation” brings eternal life. Then we are to build “good works” upon that foundation.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15:
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones [good and loving works], wood, hay, stubble [worthless works and deeds];
Every man’s work [good or worthless] shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire [Biblical term for cleansing and purifying]; and the fire shall try [prove] every man’s work of what sort it is.
If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss [of rewards]: but HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire.

2 Corinthians 5:10:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat [Greek bēma, reward stand for victorious service] of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad [worthless].

When we live for God, we are “working out” our ultimate salvation that includes eternal rewards. We have a wonderful life on this earth to enjoy fellowship with our Father through what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. We have access to God’s goodness and love and mercy and power each day. Let’s use it to do good works. After all, the Father already knows what we’re going to do. So let’s be sons and daughters in whom He is “well pleased.”

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.