Busy Beaver
John Miller
10/30/23
- Windstream Mail
R E F L E C T I O N S
Thoughts on nature and the Christian faith
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"To the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies
the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness." - Rom. 4:5
Just as the sun was rising, I came across this beaver working on a tree that was growing at the edge of a lake in West Virginia. Whoever coined the adage "busy as a beaver" was right. This fellow was not going to allow anything, even my presence, deter him from the work he had to do. Work is ingrained in the nature of beavers and, maybe to a lesser degree, in our own natures as well. But scripture is clear in declaring that our works are not the basis of our acceptance with God. Our salvation depends solely on the work of Jesus on our behalf. The church throughout history has always struggled with the relation of faith to works. Some err in assuming that since we are saved by grace, then our own works are optional. Others err in believing we are saved, at least in part, by our works. The truth is we are saved to good works, not by good works. Our obedience is the result of our salvation, never the cause of it. True biblical faith will always produce obedience. Our works are the evidence, the fruit, of our salvation. God doesn't wait until we are godly before he saves us, he saves us when we are ungodly and then, after we have received a new heart, he sets us on a path toward godliness. In theological terms, our works have no part in our justification, but are an indispensable part of our sanctification. Our standing before God rests solely on the work of Jesus, not on our own. And the reason is simple. Our obedience, our works, always fall short of the demands of God's law. Jesus' obedience doesn't. This beaver works because he is a beaver, not to become a beaver. And we work because we are accepted, not to become accepted. Thank God for that. - John
