Biblical Definition Of Works In Christianity

Biblical Definition of Works in Christianity

The Hebrew term מַעֲשֵׂה (ma'aseh) and the Greek term ἔργον (ergon) are used in the Bible to refer to "works" or "deeds." These terms encompass a wide range of human activities, from physical labor to spiritual endeavors ^{[2, 3]}.

In the biblical context, "works" can refer to God's creative acts, as seen in Psalm 138:8, where it says, "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands" ^[2]. Human works, on the other hand, are often associated with obedience to God's commands and are considered essential to the Christian life.

The concept of "good works" is prominent in Christian theology. According to Ephesians 2:10, believers are "created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life" ^[4]. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that good works are a natural outcome of faith and are done to the glory of God (Philippians 1:11) ^[1].

Different Christian traditions have varying views on the role of works in salvation. Some, like the Reformed tradition, emphasize that salvation is by faith alone and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:20) ^{[7, 8]}. According to John Calvin, "justification being denied to works not in order that no good works may be done or that those which are done may be denied to be good; but only that we may not trust or glory in them, or ascribe salvation to them" ^[6].

In contrast, other traditions, such as Catholicism, emphasize the importance of good works in the life of a believer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that good works "are pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ" and are a necessary fruit of a living faith ^[12]. The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) also affirm that good works are a necessary outcome of faith and are pleasing to God ^[10].

The book of James presents a nuanced view, stating that "faith without works is dead" (James 2:26). This is interpreted by some as emphasizing the importance of works as a demonstration of genuine faith ^[5].

The biblical concept of "works" is complex and multifaceted. While different Christian traditions may have varying interpretations, there is a general agreement that good works are an essential aspect of the Christian life. As Charles Hodge notes, "the law of which Paul speaks is the law which says, 'Thou shalt not covet'... the law which is spiritual" ^[8].

The understanding of "works" in Christianity is also influenced by the Jewish tradition. In Rabbinic Judaism, the concept of "work" is closely tied to the observance of the Law. Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, discusses the prohibition of certain types of work on holidays, highlighting the importance of understanding the nuances of "work" in different contexts ^[13].

The biblical definition of "works" encompasses a broad range of human activities, from creative endeavors to obedience to God's commands. While the role of works in salvation is a matter of debate among Christian traditions, there is a shared understanding that good works are an essential aspect of the Christian life, demonstrating a living faith and pleasing to God.

The early Church Fathers also grappled with the concept of "works." Augustine, for instance, emphasized that faith without works is dead and cannot save a person ^[9]. The Lutheran tradition, as represented by the Augsburg Confession, affirms that good works cannot merit forgiveness or justification but are a necessary outcome of faith ^[11].

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Works, Good — Christ, an example of -- Joh 10:32; Ac 10:38. Called Good fruits. -- Jas 3:17. Fruits meet for repentance. -- Mt 3:8. Fruits of righteousness. -- Php 1:11. Works and labours of love. -- Heb 6:10. Are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God -- Php 1:11. They alone, who abide in Christ can perform -- Joh 15:4,5. Wrought by God in us -- Isa 26:12; Php 2:13. The Scripture designed to lead us to -- 2Ti 3:16,17; Jas 1:25. To be performed in Christ's name -- Col 3:17. Heavenly wisdom is full of -- Jas 3:17. Justification unattainable by -- Ro 3:20; Ga 2”
STEPBible TAHOT “Psa.138.8#07=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): מַעֲשֵׂ֖י [ma.'a.Sei] "[the] works of"”
STEPBible TAHOT “Isa.29.23#04=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה [ma.'a.Seh] "[the] work of"”
Ephesians “Ephesians 2:10 (BSB) — For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.”
James “Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. -- James 2:18”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 72: works—justification being denied to works not in order that no good works may be done or that those which are done may be denied to be good; but only that we may not trust or glory in them, or ascribe salvation to them. Our only confidence and boasting, our only anchor of salvation is, that Christ the Son of God is ours, and that we are in him sons of God and heirs of the heavenly kingdom, being called, not by our worth, but the kindness of God, to the hope of eternal blessedness. But since, as has been said, they assail us with ot”
Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 2:9: Not of works,.... Of any kind, moral or ceremonial, before or after conversion, done without faith or in it, nor of these in any sense; works are neither the moving causes, nor the procuring causes, nor the helping causes, nor "causa sine qua non", or conditions of salvation; the best works that are done by men, are not done of themselves, but by the grace of God, and therefore can never merit at his hand: and salvation is put upon such a foot, lest any man should boast; of his works before God, and unto men; wherefore he has denied works any place in justificatio”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 20: shall no flesh be justified.” ( Rom. iii. 20 .) 3. The law of which Paul speaks is the law which says, “Thou shalt not covet” ( Rom. vii. 7 ); the law which is spiritual ( ver. 14 ); which is “holy, and just, and good” ( ver. 12 ); the law of which the great command is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself. Besides, what are called works of the law are in Titus iii. 5 called “works of righteousness.” Higher works than these there cannot be. The Apostle repudiates any ground of confidence in his”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 67.--FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD,AND CANNOT SAVE A MAN.: It is believed, moreover, by some, that men who do not abandon the name of Christ, and who have been baptized in the Church by His baptism, and who have never been cut off from the Church by any schism or heresy, though they should live in the grossest sin and never either wash it away in penitence nor redeem it by almsgiving, but persevere in it persistently to the last day of their lives, shall be saved by fire; that is, that although they shall suffer a punishment by fire, lasting f”
Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 231: Albeit that Good Works, which are the fruits of Faith, and follow after Justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's Judgement; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively Faith; insomuch that by them a lively Faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit.”
Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), 9 First, that our works cannot reconcile God or merit forgiveness: 9 First, that our works cannot reconcile God or merit forgiveness of sins, grace, and justification, but that we obtain this only by faith when we believe that we are received into favor for Christ’s sake, who alone has been set forth the Mediator and Propitiation, 1 Tim. 2:5, in order that the Father may be reconciled through Him. 10 Whoever, therefore, trusts that by works he merits grace, despises the merit and grace of Christ, and seeks a way to God without Christ, by human strength, al”
Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Article 3 (part 2): all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author, and have been handed on as such to the Church herself."70 106 God inspired the human authors of the sacred books. "To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more."71 107 The inspired bo”
Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Rest on a Holiday 7:1: Although Chol HaMo'ed is not referred to as a Sabbath, 1 Which, as mentioned in Chapter 1, Halachah 2, is the proof-text requiring us to cease the performance of work on the holidays. since it is referred to as "a holy convocation" and it was a time when the Chagigah sacrifices were brought in the Temple, it is forbidden to perform labor 2 As evident from the continuation of the Rambam's statements, here the definition of labor is not - in contrast to the Sabbath and holidays - the 39 labors necessary to build the Sanctuary, b”

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