This week we continue the study of our calling with Ephesians 2:8-9:

Why would Paul revert back to talking about something so basic after explaining to the Ephesians that they were called to such lofty things as being seated with Christ in the heavenly places? Because in this life the tendency to begin judging ourselves, and trying to establish our place with the Lord on the basis of our own works will be a constant temptation. The higher we rise and the more spiritual authority that we are given, the greater this temptation can become.

Paul tirelessly reminded every church that he wrote to that they were not saved by works, but by faith in the finished work of Christ. He understood that the greatest challenge to the truth of the gospel, even among the Gentiles, was to begin substituting works for the power of the cross in their lives. Now, almost 2,000 years later, this is still a primary test that tempts every believer, every church, every movement, and causes many to stumble. This is actually the same test that Adam and Eve faced in the garden—would they try to live by the knowledge of good and evil, or by the fruit of the Tree of Life? We are all confronted with the same choice.

It seems reasonable that we should be able to measure our goodness. If the "good" we see in ourselves outweighs the evil, we will feel better about ourselves, and think that God should too. Isn’t the whole point that He wants us to be good? However, that is a basic departure from the faith that leads to both true goodness and our salvation. Our goodness will never measure up to what is acceptable to God. As Paul explained to the Galatians, if they embraced circumcision and tried to stand on the works of the law for righteousness, they would be severed from Christ. It is that serious.

The Law revealed the standards of God’s righteousness. It also revealed that no man could live by the law, so sacrifices for sin were necessary. When Christ, the pure, spotless, Lamb of God came and gave His own life to pay for our sins, He became our salvation. To reject Him and try to come on the basis of our own works is an ultimate pride, delusion, and insult to the grace of God that He provided for us. That will never change. We will never be able to stand before God because we have been good, but we can come boldly before His throne at any time by the blood of the Son of God. Jesus, alone, is our righteousness.

Those who begin to trust in their own works inevitably grow in pride in themselves, not in Christ. These will be the most offended by those who claim righteousness based on faith, such as the Pharisee of Pharisees was offended by the young church. The conflict that arose between Cain and Abel was basically over the same thing. Cain’s offering was rejected because he offered the fruit of his own labors, while Abel offered a blood sacrifice that prophesied of the coming of Christ. This led to rage within Cain that caused him to slay his brother. The cross as the basis of our acceptance from God remains the primary point of conflict.

If we are truly following Christ, and He is our righteousness, our boast will always be in Him. How could we ever think highly of our own works once we behold what He has done? For us to even presume that anything we could do would make us acceptable is an affront to the cross, and the ultimate form of pride that will lead to an ultimate fall, severing us from Christ.

It is by beholding His great love for us that He has proven for all time by suffering as He did on our behalf, that we are compelled to love Him and follow Him. As we walk in the knowledge of the salvation that He endured on our behalf, we gain increasing freedom and boldness as we trust Him, not ourselves.

As Jesus explained, the Father loves us too. In fact, it was the Father that loves us so much that He sent His beloved Son to die for us. The Father loves us that much, but He will never accept us by our own works. For Him to do so is to nullify the cross, and to leave us in our sin.