Parallax is a term I remember from my high school science courses. Webster's defines it as "the apparent displacement or the difference in apparent direction of an object as seen from two different points not on a straight line with the object." I mention this because I've been thinking a lot about works lately, and that is something that appears, at first glance, to be something of a contradiction in the Bible. You see, I've had Rich Mullins in my CD ROM all week and the one song that sticks out above the rest on this album is Screen Door where he says, "It's about as useless as a screen door on a submarine, Faith without works baby, It just ain't happenin' "
That comes straight from James, where he states:
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? James 2:14
Yet Paul, in his letter to the Romans clearly states that works cannot save us:
For no one can ever be made right in God's sight by doing what his law commands. For the more we know God's law, the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying it. But now God has shown us a different way of being right in his sight - not by obeying the law but by the way promised in the Scriptures long ago. We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. Romans 3:20-23
Is this contradictory? No, it is just a case of parallax in action. The problem lies in the different views one has of works before Salvation compared with the view following Salvation. Many people, before they are saved, view their works as being something that makes them eligible for eternal life in heaven. They do more good deeds than bad; they give charitably of both their time and money. Maybe they have a strict moral code and are considered a person of integrity. All of these things might make them a good person, but not a saved one. In Galatians, Paul writes:
...yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. Gal 2:16
We can not be saved by our work! That means that works are futile and I have heard many people debating the futility of works as a basis of Salvation. Just because works are futile for Salvation does not mean that works are futile. Paul even writes about doing works in 1 Corinthians:
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw- the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire. 1 Cor. 3:11-15
The foundation is our faith in Christ. What we build upon that foundation are the works we do as a Christian. Whenever we give of our time, our talents, or our income to the Church, we lay another brick in building our house. The important point to note, however, is that now we have shifted our view of works. No longer are we basing our Salvation upon our works but upon the Resurrection of Christ. All of our works are built up from there. We are doing them, not to show how "good" we are but because our relationship with Christ causes us to want to serve Him by serving others. As Rich Mullins says:
"Faith comes from God and every word that He breathes
He lets you take it to your heart so you can give it hands and feet "
Rich Mullins, Screen Door
As I have said before and will say again, Christianity is a life transforming relationship with Christ. As a part of that transformation He makes our hearts desirous of doing His works. At the same time, we all have different gifts so we each do different works. Not works upon which to build our Salvation, but works to let others know about Christ. St. Francis of Assisi said, "Preach the Gospel, if necessary, use words." That is what our works do. They show the Gospel message in action. They give us a chance to interact with others and share the Good News.
And that's the most important reason why works are necessary. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Although our works are futile for our salvation, our works are necessary for spreading the Gospel and helping others come to know Christ. Thus the seeming contradiction between the futility and necessity of works doesn't exist because their futility is within one context and their necessity within another.
His peace and blessings upon you and your works,
Josef