You think you do the salvational work of Jesus Christ?
John 14:12
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.
What do you think he meant by that? Nothing?
Or this:
Romans 2:6-8
God will repay everyone according to his works: eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness.
(2:6 "Will repay everyone according to his works": Paul reproduces the Septuagint text of Ps 62:12 and Prv 24:12. To Paul, the Septuagint was simply "Scripture" --- to you, perhaps, not?)
If this seems to contrast with the places where Paul says, repeatedly "faith, not works" --- isn't the explanation that by "works of the Law" he meant all the observances of the Mosaic Law, that is, the 613 mitzvot? For he, and Jesus, clearly expect us to effectively participate in some kind of work other than the 613 mitzvot -- namely, in Jesus' own, all-effective work of salvation.
Then there's this:
1 Corinthians 3:9 "For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building"
Co-workers for what? Let Paul give you a hint:
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Their work, in the Lord, is not "in vain". In other words, it is not a superfluous token: it is efficacious.
Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything [these are 'works of the law'], but only faith working through love.
Ah, that's it: "faith working through love." And mind-blowing as it is, that's the reason why God created us: He created us for these works:
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.
This is efficacious for what? Paul says, for salvation:
Philippians 2:12
So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Does this mean we are saving ourselves, picking ourselves up by our own bootstraps as it were? Nonsense! Of course not! This is efficacious *ONLY* because we are in Christ. It is all done by Christ.
Christ is so close to His Church, He actually identifies with it. When Saul of Tarsus was persecuting the church, Jesus confronted him with this question: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And when Saul asked, "Who are you, sir?" he received this answer: "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting."
Jesus identified fully and personally with His persecuted church!
Surely Saul/Paul thought of this many times, for instance, in his magnificent teaching that the Church is the Body of Christ.
How grateful we should be that God has made us members of His Body, co-workers, co-carriers of the Cross (Mark 8:34) and associated every one of us in His saving Work.
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