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1 Timothy 6:18–19
In 1 Timothy 6:18–19 the Apostle Paul gives an alternative for the one who trusts in money; that they instead put their focus on doing the things that are reflective of Christ Jesus. These things include doing good works, being ready to give and to be willing to share. These things will build up “a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” as the Apostle Paul states in 1 Timothy 6:19, NKJV.
This is a command to do the things that Jesus did throughout His earthly ministry as He set the example for us to follow.
Doing good works, giving, and sharing does not earn us salvation but is the reflection of our salvation and Christ Jesus working through our obedience to Him through our faith in Him as our Savior. Paul declares in Ephesians 2:8–10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
To have faith in Jesus as our Savior produces good works as a result of our faith and following in the footsteps of Jesus. James explains this in James 2:21–24 as he speaks of Abraham, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness’” (Genesis 15:6).
For one day we will all be judged by our works in the reflection of our faith as we learn in Revelation 20:12, “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.”
Dear LORD,
Please help us to realize and understand that our good works are not a means to earn our salvation as only faith in Jesus grants us salvation and eternal life. Please help us to realize and understand that good works are a product of our salvation in and through Christ Jesus who died for our sins, in our place, so that we can be set free from sin through what Jesus has done for us, allowing us to receive the gift of salvation through our faith in Him and what He has done for us. Please help us to realize and understand that doing good works is a reflection of being a Christian – of following in the footsteps of Jesus – it is what You put in our hearts, minds, and souls to be as a child of Yours through faith. In Jesus name I pray, amen.