“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father.”  1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
 
We can see in the Apostle’s letter to the Thessalonians that faith is living and active.  
And we know what James 2:17 says, 
“Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”
 
We are not saved by works, but by faith!  Once saved however good works should be the natural outcome.
 
That is the truth of Ephesians 2:8-10;
“For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 
not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
 
Yes, it is God Himself who has prepared good works for each Believer in which he/she is to walk.
 
1 Thessalonians 1:3-10 gives us a wonderful example of a church living an active faith.  
The gospel came to them “with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction”  Vs. 5
They “became imitators…of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering”  Vs. 6
They “became a model to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia”  Vs. 7
Paul says in verse 8,
“The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere…”
(Read the whole account that Paul has given us as he thanks God as seen in our opening verses.)
 
Scripture has much to say concerning good works and I will only touch on a few.
They glorify God:
Jesus tells us, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16
 
They enrich life:
Paul to Timothy concerning the rich, 1 Timothy 6:18,
“Instruct them to do good, to be right in good works, to be generous and ready to share.”
 
They furnish a pattern for imitation:
“In all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, in order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.”  Titus 2:7-8
 
They tend to stimulate others to do good:
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.”  Hebrews 10:24
 
They demonstrate the reality of faith:
“Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God.”  1 Peter 2:12
 
Now the following are some commands concerning doing good:
“Depart from evil, and do good;
Seek peace, and pursue it.”  Psalm 34:14
 
“Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.”  Psalm 37:3
 
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.”  Luke 6: 35
 
“And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”  Hebrew 13:16
 
Our faith is revealed in our action not only before others, but must be also when no one sees as Jesus says using the giving of alms as an example:
“When therefore you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you…but when you give alms, do not let you left hand know what your right hand is doing that your alms my be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”  Matthew 6:2-4
 
May the Holy Spirit lead and guide us into a greater expression of our faith as we embrace Ephesians 2:8 and walk in the works that God has prepared for each of His own.  Amen