Work of Faith
By Dr. Ken Matto
(1 Th 1:3 KJV) Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
(ergou thV pistewV) - work of faith
(2 Th 1:11 KJV) Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
(ergon pistewV) - work of faith
These verses have nothing whatsoever to do with earning salvation by a “work of faith.” The Bible is merely stating that Paul is remembering the works of faith that the Thessalonians have done. Notice the phrase in 1 Thess. 1:3, “your work of faith” and in 2 Thess 1:11, “we pray always for you” and “count you.“ Would Paul pray that God would find unbelievers worthy of their callings? Of course not, Paul saw unbelievers as a mission field.
In other words, the works in view here are being done by those who are already saved because all works that the believer does is of faith. In fact, the words in the Greek are in the Genitive case which is the case of possession. So the work being done is from faith because faith is possessing the works being done. These are not works being done by an unsaved person.
(Gal 5:22 KJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Faith is given to the believer as a fruit of the Holy Spirit upon salvation. Faith is a noun which means it is a person, place, or thing. The verb is translated “believe” which makes it a work. So when one becomes saved, they receive faith and when they exercise that faith by believing, they are then working works of faith.
(Eph 2:10 KJV) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10 makes it clear that the Christian is to do good works because we were created in Christ Jesus for those works. If we were not to do good works then God would take us to glory immediately after salvation. The Christian remains on earth after salvation to do those good works which consist of building the Kingdom of God.
(Heb 6:10 KJV) For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Hebrews 6:10 reminds the believer that God will never forget their “work and labour of love.” Are the works in view that of working to seek salvation or are they post-salvation works? The answer is obvious that these are post-salvation works.
So the phrase “work of faith” found in the Thessalonian verses speak about a saved person who is doing works for the Kingdom of God and not to get into the Kingdom of God.