Verse of the Day (August 13, 2020)

Verse of the Day (August 13, 2020) #BMSeminary – <1> {For} verifies the assertion of man’s good works having no part in obtaining salvation. {Workmanship} refers not to our original or physical birth, but to our spiritual birth: what we are spiritually in the good sense is due to God, not ourselves. {Created in Christ Jesus unto good works} means “having been [morally] re-created by Christ Jesus for good works”; that is, Jesus remade our spiritual lives so that we could then do good works. The apostle’s thinking is this: since the Christian has been given spiritual life for the purpose of doing good works, there could have been no good works by him prior to conversion that would merit salvation. Good works follow—do not precede—salvation. [KJV Study Bible]; <2> Faith alone justifies, but, the Reformers would say, the faith that justifies is never alone. Good works are not the root of our redemption, but they are the necessary fruit. If God has prepared good deeds beforehand, we must consider how and where we will walk today in order to fulfill his eternal purposes for us in Christ. [Gospel Transformation Study Bible]