Ploductivity: A Practical Theology of Work & Wealth

by Douglas Wilson

The issue is not whether we are saved by works. Of course not. The issue here, rather, is what salvation looks like. We are saved by grace, but grace works. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12–13, esv).We are not saved by good works (Eph. 2:8–9), but we are saved to good works (Eph. 2:10). Immediately after this famous verse where Paul says we are saved by grace through faith, he then says that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to do. This salvation by grace is a salvation unto good works. In our sin, we were a bad work. The grace of God picked us up and placed us on God’s work bench, where He made us His project. The word there is poiema, which means creation or work—we are God’s craftsmanship. He fashioned us into the kind of creatures who are able to do good work. Our good works are never at the front end, but they most certainly are at the back end. Work is not a curse. The curse affects work, but work remains a gift from a gracious God. We were created for work, and we were created for work in an astoundingly fruitful world. In short, the grace of God leads to salvation and salvation leads to good works. As we consider this, we ought not to limit the phrase “good works” to helping little old ladies across the street or volunteering at soup kitchens. Those are included, certainly, but good wor...