Eternity 111 - Good Works And The Kingdom Of Heaven
Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, {9} not of works, lest
anyone should boast. {10} For we are His workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk
in them.
The Enquiry
My Eternity 108 on the Kingdom of Heaven Is Accessible To The Unspiritual
provoked the following very good question:
Help me to understand. I believe, trust, depend and rely on the Lord Jesus.
I have repented and asked forgiveness of my sins. I have confessed Jesus
as my Lord and Savior. I have called upon the name of the Lord, and I believe
that I am saved. Having done such, the Bible tells me that I am saved. I
know that I am saved by the grace of God and not of my works. Based on what
the Bible tells me, I believe that my salvation is secured. However, James
2:17 states that faith without works is dead. To me that means that as a
result of my faith in the Lord Jesus, I do good works. I don't think that
I do good works to get saved (or stay saved)but because I am saved by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ. What am I missing in your message when you
state or imply that sanctification is (not) a process of do's and don't's
and should not be something Christians practice? I believe your answer lies
somewhere in "....we hear the word of God and believe it and live in
the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, are filled with the Spirit and dwell in
love. " My question is: Is this not good works? On this earth, are
we Christians not to do good deeds-works? Your comments on this would be
greatly appreciated.
The Answer
1) We are created in Christ Jesus for good works. We are to do lots of them,
good works are what God has made us for and He has prepared them beforehand
that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
2) However we are not saved by good works. We are saved apart from good works,
by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8,9)
3) The good works we are to do are defined as the commandments of Jesus Christ
which are pretty well summarized in the Sermon On The Mount and in the various
"one another" commands in the New Testament "love one another,
forgive one another, be tender-hearted to one another, forbear one another
etc.
4) The good works are not "religious" works involving priests, temples,
sacrifices, offerings, feast days, oblations, special diets, vows, clean and
unclean foods, taboos, don't handle, taste, touch etc. These religious works
have all been fulfilled in Christ and there is no need for them to be performed
any more, that entire system has passed away (see Galatians and especially
Hebrews).
5) There can even be a clash between religious good works and true new creation
good works. For instance if money needed for the family is given instead to
religious uses and made Corban that is evil. (Mark 7:6-13, 1 Timothy 5:8)
(Mark 7:6-13 NKJV) He answered and said to them, "Well
did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors
Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. {7} And in vain they worship
Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' {8} "For laying aside
the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men; the washing of pitchers
and cups, and many other such things you do." {9} He said to them, "All
too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
{10} "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who
curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' {11} "But you say,
'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have
received from me is Corban"; ' (that is, a gift to God), {12} "then
you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, {13} "making
the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed
down. And many such things you do."
(1 Timothy 5:8 NKJV) But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially
for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
6) True "New Creation" good works spring from faith working through
love and are done in the power of the Holy Spirit. See the following almost
identical verses in Galatians.
(Galatians 5:6 NKJV) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision
avails anything, but faith working through love.
(Galatians 6:15 NKJV) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision
avails anything, but a new creation.
7) True "New Creation" good works are done without thought of the
approval of men - including any approval by a religious hierarchy or Christian
community. That is not to put down such communal expressions of faith but
to limit them within their proper bounds. Approval is given in Christ, by
grace, through faith and is called "justification" and is freely
given by God.
(John 5:44 NASB) "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one
another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?
8) Being holy is not the same as "being very religious". Being holy
just means being set apart to God and living a life that obeys His commandments
- the one another commands, Sermon On The Mount etc. True holiness also means
being unstained by the works of the flesh such as fornication, witchcraft
etc (see Galatians 5:19-21). Being holy is not external piety such as having
Christian bumper stickers, lots of bibles and going to church five times a
week. You can do all that and be very unholy. Being holy is being loving and
righteous and joyful and thankful in the Holy Spirit.
9) Being perfect is not the same as "being very religious". Being
perfect is being perfected in love so you can even love your enemies. The
prefect Christian is perfectly loving. (Matthew 5:43-48 NASB) "You have
heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.'
{44} "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute
you {45} in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for
He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the
righteous and the unrighteous. {46} "For if you love those who love you,
what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? {47} "And
if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even
the Gentiles do the same? {48} "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your
heavenly Father is perfect.
10) Unreligious people can still be perfect and holy and fulfill all the good
works that God has created beforehand for them to do by having faith in Christ
and loving their neighbour with perfect love in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Life that is righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit is simple and
uncomplicated - as Jesus said "my yoke is easy and my burden is light".
Thus Christians do not have to do a long list of religious duties in order
to make God happy. God has been happy with them since the day they were born-again
and happily gives them some duties in the Kingdom so they can demonstrate
the love they have in their heart and be a blessing to their neighbour.