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The people of God are characterized by work. This is not a drudgery but a blessing demonstrating God’s fellowship with His people and His people with one another. Salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), yet God’s grace teaches us to “renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age<\/em>” as we await the coming of Jesus (Titus 2:11-14). This means that we are to be “zealous for good works<\/em>” because “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them<\/em>” (Ephesians 2:10). We are to be people who act, not simply hear (James 1:22).<\/p>\nOne of the beautiful aspects of being God’s people is that we are not alone. We are a body of various members who function in unity with each other. We share a special relationship, a fellowship as brothers and sisters in Christ. One of the reasons Paul thanked God for the Philippian Christians is that they had a “partnership<\/em> (fellowship) in the gospel from the first day until now<\/em>” (Philippians 1:5). They partook of the grace of God together, and this created a special bond for them.<\/p>\n When Paul writes about his coworkers in the gospel, he does so with obvious and deep affection. One of his requests of the Philippian church was that they help certain women (Euodia and Syntyche) “who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life<\/em>” (Philippians 4:3). He dedicates a section of Romans to recognizing those with whom he had worked and who had been encouraging to him. He wrote of Phoebe as a servant who had been his patron. She was to be welcomed in the Lord and helped however needed (Romans 16:1-2). He wrote of many others with whom he labored, who had risked their lives for each other and worked hard on behalf of churches for the Lord. Read Romans 16. It is encouraging to see such love expressed, and it gives us something to imitate in our work together. In our efforts to be disciples like first-century Christians, this kind of fellowship should be sought after and followed.<\/p>\n God’s people should still be characterized by the affection and love seen in Paul’s notes about his coworkers. Unfortunately, there have always been detractors. People like “Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first<\/em>,” will hurt the cause (III John 9). The Galatians were warned about biting, devouring, and consuming one another (Galatians 5:15). Through love, we are to serve one another (Galatians 5:13), but it is easy to drop our guard and become selfish. This ruins relationships and chokes out the beautiful fellowship of God’s people. This is one reason those who cause divisions are to be marked and avoided, “For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites<\/em>…” (Romans 16:17-18).<\/p>\n The work of God’s people together needs to be bound in love and unity. Jesus instructed His disciples to “love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another<\/em>.” The importance of this follows: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another<\/em>” (John 13:34-35). Love, in turn, will result in unity. To stand firm in one spirit and strive together for the faith of the gospel requires “being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind<\/em>” (Philippians 2:2). Unity requires not only love but humility, as there is nothing to be done through selfish ambition or conceit, “but in humility count others more significant than yourselves<\/em>” (Philippians 2:3). Jesus is the supreme example of this mindset, who demonstrated love in the greatest of ways and acted in humility on our behalf by going to the cross (Philippians 2:5-7). “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus<\/em>…” (Philippians 2:5).<\/p>\n Work, love, unity, humility, and fellowship all go together. There should not be one without the other. These all help us form a beautiful bond in the Lord as we seek to “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ<\/em>” (Ephesians 4:13). Note further how Paul makes these connections: “speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love<\/em>” (Ephesians 4:15-16). A body functions well when the members act with love, unity, and humility.<\/p>\n May God help us to work together in a way that glorifies Him!<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Doy Moyer The people of God are characterized by work. This is not a drudgery but a blessing demonstrating God’s fellowship with His people and His people with one another. Salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), yet God’s grace teaches us to “renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[1543,456,55],"class_list":["post-83126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-good-works","tag-unity","tag-works"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":39338,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-good-works-the-result-of-salvation\/","url_meta":{"origin":83126,"position":0},"title":"Are good works the result of salvation?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Are good works the result of salvation? I was in a discussion earlier with someone of the Baptist faith who used Ephesians 2:10 to say that good works are the result of salvation and not required for salvation since Paul is referring to us being saved in Ephesians 2:8-9,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58392,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/obeying-the-lord\/","url_meta":{"origin":83126,"position":1},"title":"Obeying the Lord","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 24, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Clem Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 8, Feb. 20, 2009. Question: How can one talk about \"obeying the Lord\" in the light of what is said in\u00a0Titus 3:5\u00a0and\u00a0Ephesians 2:8? Answer: First, let us notice what these two passages say: \"Not by works done in righteousness, which we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15874,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/faith-and-works\/","url_meta":{"origin":83126,"position":2},"title":"Faith and Works (Scott)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 22, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"by Carey Scott Many people reject the idea that these two words should be found in the same context.\u00a0 The reason is that while we need faith to receive God\u2019s blessings and approval, we also realize that God\u2019s grace is what saves us instead of works.\u00a0 The Bible tells us\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":77346,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/baptism-grace-and-works\/","url_meta":{"origin":83126,"position":3},"title":"Baptism, Grace, and Works","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Andy Belknap There are many people today who believe that baptism (immersion) is not essential to being saved. I truly believe this is one of Satan's grandest lies that he has successfully spread throughout the ages. What greater way is there to snatch souls away from God than to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63421,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/salvation-by-grace-through-faith\/","url_meta":{"origin":83126,"position":4},"title":"Salvation by Grace Through Faith","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 17, 2003","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 2:1-10 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When we read Ephesians 2:8-10, there are four important words which stand out: grace, saved, faith, and works. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The gift mentioned in verse 8 is the gift of salvation given to us by God\u2019s grace. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Grace is an unmerited favor. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0a.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10806,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/who-initiates-grace-god-or-man\/","url_meta":{"origin":83126,"position":5},"title":"Who initiates grace, God or man?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 12, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I do a lot of reading on theology and it seems like there are all kinds of versions on certain topics. I pray for God to shake up Christianity one day so that all these different interpretations of the His Word are eliminated and the Truth is illuminated. It\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83126","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83126"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83126\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83126"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83126"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}