When Works Lead to Faith – Words of Grace Blog – March 6, 2026

A cherished doctrine of the gospel is that we are saved by grace through faith, and not by works (Ephesians 2: 8-9). The work of salvation is all Christ’s, who died for our sins and was raised for our life. By faith in him and his finished work on the cross, we are saved.

Following faith in Christ the Christian engages in good works. From our new life in Christ, we carry out the good works of obedience because we love him (John 14:15).

The order is clearly faith leading to salvation and then good works flowing from faith (Galatians 5:6).

So, when do works lead to faith? When the works are those of Jesus, and they are done to bring people to himself. This is what is happening in Acts 9, where Peter is involved in healing a paralytic in Lydda and raising a woman from the dead in Joppa. I say “involved” because Peter says to the paralyzed man, “Jesus Christ heals you.”

After the healing of the man, the residents of his town “turned to the Lord.” And after the woman was raised from the dead, many people “believed in the Lord.” This makes it clear that the works of Jesus led to faith in him.

Jesus did works, we call them miracles, for us to know that he is the Son of God and is worthy of our faith and worship. His works prove he is Lord. He did them himself and through his apostles. They are recorded in the Bible.

Often the question is asked if Jesus does miracles today. The miraculous new birth of a sinner turned child of God is happening every day. The seen and unseen providences of God and his known and unknown workings in our lives continue to be real. But underneath the question often lies the assumption that we need Jesus to do miraculous things so people will believe in him. The point of Acts 9, and the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ miracles, is that he already has done the works that lead to faith. We have them in the record. They are enough for us to believe.

One day Jesus was talking to religious leaders and they said to him, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you (Matthew 12).” Jesus said the sign they will get is that of Jonah, who was three days in the belly of the fish. Jesus was using Jonah’s experience (a miracle) to speak of his own death and resurrection three days later as the sign of all signs, the one that bears the ultimate witness to his Lordship and calls for full faith in him (Philippians 2:8-11).

What do we do at the sign of Jesus’ death and resurrection? Repent like the people of Nineveh. Believe like the people of Lydda and Joppa. Turn to Jesus and you will find your miracle. Look to Jesus and you will see your Lord.

Let’s pray for each other to have eyes to see Christ and each other when we gather for worship on Sunday.

-Scott