What are works in the context of the Christian faith?
Works are human efforts to work one's way to God or earn His approval. Anything man tries to do on his own takes him out of the sphere of grace and into the sphere of "works" or "law" (Rom. 11:6). Because the attitude behind works is always pride, all human good is dead in God's sight and is referred to as "dead works" (Heb. 6:1–2).
Human righteousness is relative and absolutely unacceptable to God. All righteous deeds are like a filthy garment (Isa. 64:6). No one can earn God's approval through human effort because in man there dwells no good thing (Rom. 7:18).
However, there is a distinction between human effort and the works produced by faith. We were created by Christ Jesus for good works (Eph. 2:8–10). While work without faith is worthless, faith is dynamic and its nature is to work (James 2:14, 17, 26).
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Source: The Basics The Basics -- Subject Index entry 'Works' (printed pp. 46, 176, 180) · Read this lesson in the book →
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Lesson 4–1: Perspective—Grace
Lesson 1–5: The Potential—Faith
Lesson 3–1: The Race—The Christian Life
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