Salvation and Good Works.

When forgiven sinners become children of God, we are brought into a vital, life-changing union with the resurrected Christ (2 Cot. 5:17; Col. 1:27). By the grace of God (Eph. 2:6-8) laid hold of through re¬pentance (March 1:15) and faith (John 3:16; Acts 16:31), we are born again (John 3:3) to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4). This salvation experience comes by grace through faith apart from the works of the law (Rom. 3:28; 4:1-5; Gal. 2:16) or good works in general (Eph. 2:5; 8-9). Although Christians are not saved by good works, we are saved for good works.

Good works or a fruitful life is a clearly stated purpose of our salvation (John 15:16; Eph. 2:10). Our good works should glorify our heavenly Father (Mart. 5:16) and should be convincing to the non-Christian world (1 Pet. 2:12). Good works should so naturally evolve from our union with Christ that they serve as proof of the grace of God in our lives (Matt. 7:15-20; Rom. 6:1-4; James 2:14-26). Salvation through union with Christ inevitably affects the total person—body, mind, and soul or spirit. Also, it affects every relationship of our lives—in the home, the church, the world. Salvation operates in all tenses: past (justification—Rom. 3:28), present (sanctification—2 Cot. 4:16; Col. 3:10), and fu¬ture (glorification—l John 3:2).