works and struggle

Teacher of Generations Center for preserving and publishing the heritage of Pope Shenouda III.
Our lecture is in comparative theology.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the one God, Amen.
I will speak to you about works and struggle (spiritual struggle) and the difference between them and the Protestant view — I will focus strongly because we want to understand it.
Protestants despise works very much; once a Protestant said: “I trample these good works with my feet” — of course meaning his blessed feet.
They rely (and I speak here of exaggeration) on some Bible verses. The best-known is Ephesians 2:9: “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.” And Titus 3:5: “…not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”
The first thing we want to discuss: what kind of works do these verses mean? In fact we have six kinds of works. Let us discuss them together and see which are accepted and which are rejected.

First type: works of the Law — ritual practices the Jews thought would save them (e.g., circumcision, feasts, seasons, offerings, new moons, incense…).
Second type: works before faith — like the righteous acts of the Gentiles (e.g., Cornelius).
Third type: purely human works — with no divine involvement, purely human effort.
Fourth type: works of the Holy Spirit in the sacraments.
Fifth type: good works in partnership with the Holy Spirit.
Sixth type: works alone (seems to repeat or denote a nuance about merit).
We’ll take those six and see which works are rejected and which are accepted.

The rejected works are: works of the Law, works before faith, and purely human works. “Rejected” does not mean God hates good deeds; it means they cannot suffice for salvation. A Jewish person who keeps the law but is not a believer does not get saved. A Gentile who does good deeds but is not a believer is not saved. A believer who does purely human works without God’s participation cannot rely on those for salvation. These three types are rejected (insufficient).

Why did St. Paul focus on works? He focused on works in his conversation with Jews and Gentiles and nonbelievers because one must first speak about faith. It’s not logical for a Gentile who does good works to be told “these will save you” — first he must be told to believe. Only after faith does one talk about the works necessary for the believer. So Paul’s verses stressing faith before works must be understood in that context.

Examples: Colossians 2:16: “Let no one judge you in food or in drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbath, which are a shadow of things to come.” Circumcision was a symbol of baptism. Paul rejects the idea that law-works alone save. Galatians 2:16 and 3:11 likewise state justification is not by works of the Law but by faith in Christ.

Works without faith are rejected: Cornelius did good deeds and God accepted them, but he was not saved until Peter preached Christ to him — “words by which you will be saved.” Verses like Colossians 1:14, Romans 3:24–25, Hebrews 9:22 emphasize the importance of atonement by blood for salvation. Therefore “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” does not address Christians being saved by works; it speaks of entry into salvation through baptism, faith, and repentance.

Human works alone do not lead to glory because God must be part of them: John 15:5 “Without me you can do nothing.” If God participates, the works are valuable; if you work alone, you will boast and receive no saving reward.

Now the acceptable works: first, works of the Holy Spirit in the sacraments (sacred mysteries). These are not the priest’s own acts but the Holy Spirit working through the priest as servant of the sacrament. Baptism is the new birth given by the Holy Spirit; the priest serves the sacrament but does not give the grace by himself. If it is a birth from water and Spirit (John’s conversation with Nicodemus), one is born of the Holy Spirit, not by the priest himself. So you cannot reject the workings of the Holy Spirit — those who deny sacraments either misunderstand what they are or deny the Holy Spirit’s active role. In John 20:22–23 and Acts 13 and elsewhere, the Spirit acts in commissioning and forgiving.

The works in which we share with the Holy Spirit: Paul says “we are co-workers with God” (1 Cor 3:9). Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do.” Thus when a believer does good works, God is working in him. How can someone deny the value of good works if God works through them? Partnership with the Spirit is a blessing (2 Cor 13:14 mentions “the communion of the Holy Spirit”). Peter calls believers “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4) — partnership in action, not in essence.

Importance of works: we don’t get saved by them, but we cannot be saved without them. Works are the fruit of faith — “produce fruits worthy of repentance,” “every tree that does not produce fruit is cut down.” James: “faith without works is dead.” Works are proof of living faith and of being born of God — “everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him” (1 John). 1 John also ties walking in the light (behavior) with participation in Christ’s blood that cleanses from sin. Works also save us from condemnation (Romans 8 speaks of those who walk according to the Spirit). Judgment will be according to works (John 5:29, Matthew 25, Revelation, etc.). Paul speaks of love and deeds (1 Cor 13) — without love, other acts profit nothing.

Struggle (the contest): faith does not encourage laziness. Faith and struggle/action go together (examples: Moses’ raised hands with Joshua fighting; David’s faith yet he fought with a sling). Paul talks about “I have fought the good fight” (2 Tim 4:7). The Protestant citation “not of him who wills nor of him who runs” (Rom 9:16) must be read in context — Paul also speaks of striving (“I press on, that I may lay hold”). God grows what is planted, but He grows what has been planted and watered. Mercy is God’s; He shows mercy to whom He wills, but we should not neglect endeavor.

Conclusion: Works are not the primary means of salvation (atonement by the blood, faith, repentance, baptism are essential), but works (especially those in which the Holy Spirit participates) are the fruit of faith, proof of the new birth, part of the believer’s life and spiritual struggle.