(A Short Study From The new Testament)
It can be a confusing situation and a puzzling question. It is most definitely an important question. It is a question on which one�s eternal destiny lies. �Are my good works enough?� �It is possible to earn eternal life and peace with God?�
It is not an area in which we can afford confusion. The question of �good works,� however, may be a confusing problem to the casual - often even the critical, reader of the New Testament as he searches not only for understanding but also for a way to have fellowship with God and peace in this life.
In one place the bible seems to say that works are necessary, that they are called for and are even commanded to be performed. Yet, in another section of this same Bible the implication is that the works of man are completely without merit. The report seems to be that they are totally useless and futile.
This is certainly a subject that calls for better understanding. Of course, to fully understand any Bible subject one must have experienced salvation. But, the subject at hand addresses that very issue - What do works, good works in particular, have to do with the Salvation of a soul from sin. It would be good to pray that God, by His Holy Spirit, would guide us into the right meaning of the Living Word of God - the Holy Scripture.
THE WORKS OF THE DELIVERED
The first thing to notice is that the New Testament makes a distinction between types of individuals. There are two important classes of persons spoken of in this Age of Grace in the New Testament - The Saved and the Unsaved.
This concept may seem rather elementary. But, consider that if one has never mastered the concept of two plus two equals four he will never have any understanding of even the most simple form of algebra.
It seems obvious that if Jesus is presented as a �Savior� in the pages of the Gospels, then there must be those who need to be �saved.�
To those individuals who have been saved, the New Testament has much to say. Matthew 5:16 says, �Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.� The words, �your light,� give a personal challenge to the Christian, the �saved� individual.
Jesus is called, �The Light of the World,� in the Scripture. Thus, to say that the Christian should let his �light� shine is to give the suggestion that, in some mystical way, the Person of Jesus Christ lives within the Christian. It then follows that this admonition is for the Christian to let the world around him see Jesus.
In this increasingly secular age too many are experiencing a scarceness of the sacredness of God. For this reason they need to see the Light (�...that they may see your good works...�) that will lead them from the spiritual darkness of non-understanding on into the radiance of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The desired end of this is that men may, �...glorify your Father...� A person who glorifies God is a person who has experienced the regenerating power of God in his life. No wonder James said, �Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone.� (James 2:17)
If one claims to have what he called the Christian Faith and yet does not possess the works which should flow from the faith, he is - in a sense - dead. When the body no longer has life in it, it is time to bury it. When the �Christian� does not show the light of Jesus in his life, then his influence for god is dead. His Christian testimony is buried. Although the good works of the Christian will not save a person, they can lead another person to Jesus. A lack of good works by a professing Christian will lead a person away from God.
Ephesians 2:10 gives these words: �For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them...� It is wonderful to know that, in the matter of being a Christian, we are �...his workmanship...� The Christian has nothing to do with salvation except to accept it.
Paul, writing under inspiration, said that Christians are created in Christ Jesus. That means that the salvation which we possess is only in and through Jesus. Salvation is available only because of the work which Jesus did on the cross of Calvary. One of the purposes of this salvation is that the Christian walk in good works. After all, �...God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.�
Christians should also follow the Biblical injunction to, �...consider one another to provoke one another to good works.� (Hebrews 10:24) The Christian is told to provoke unto love. Without true Christian love there can be no true �Christian� good works.
While I would not recommend it for real study due to the flawed text from which it is translated, the Amplified Bible does give a good commentary on Acts 26:20 - �But made known openly first of all throughout the whole land of Judea, and also among the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do works and live lives consistent with and worthy of their repentance.� Here is a picture of one of the important reasons for the good works of the Christian.
Paul was here relating his conversion experience to Agrippa. He told the story of his salvation in Jesus to all those with whom he came into contact. He spoke first at Damascus - the physical location of his salvation, then at Jerusalem -the center of religious activity, and then on to the rest of the world. The �rest of the world� included the Gentiles - a people who were different from himself.
Paul began with what he could do and then moved ever onward with this message. He felt that this was the will of God. It was! It is!
The example of Paul was that to do good works was to be in the will of God. Further, to do the will of God was to present the Gospel Message to all men. The good work of witnessing to the Message of Christ and the Salvation which is available in Him, Paul explained by his own example, was consistent with and worthy of the redemption which he had experienced.
THE WORKS OF THE DOOMED
The New Testament also has a message in reference to the good works attempted by the doomed - that is the nonChristian.
It seems to be that most men hunt and work for a way to Heaven. Most do not look for God, however. They do look for peace and contentment with the realization that there is a Heaven to be gained. History bears this out as man has always been a worshiping creature. The many church buildings which are seen today testify to the fact that man is still looking for peace and contentment in this life and a home in Heaven in the next.
One of the ways in which people often try to please Deity is by the performance of �Good Works.� The theory seems to be that, �If you just do your best you will be good enough for heaven.�
However, Ephesians 1:8-9 (�For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.�) indicates that works, which would include �Good Works,� are not able to bring one into a state of redemption.
The Bible makes the case that salvation is by grace. The sacrifice of Calvary is the mode by which the nonChristian is brought into the presence, and pardon, of God. Paul states that man is saved by grace, �...not of works, lest any man should boast...� Therefore, no person who has become a Christian can boast about any of his own works. In the matter of salvation, �Good Works� are shown to be of no value.
Another work which many attempt is that of the work of keeping the Law of the Bible. Again, however, this work of the flesh (For, to try to attain the perfection of God without accepting the Personification of God - Christ Jesus, is to work in the flesh!) Is not of any sort of value.
In romans 3:20 the Bible says, �Therefore by the deeds of the law is the knowledge of sin.� Thus, the deeds of the Law of God, the keeping of the Commandments of God, the obeying of the Ordinances of God, can never justify a person in the sight of a Just and Holy God.
The Biblical picture is that the Law only give the knowledge of sin. An old illustration might be in order here. If one were to look into a mirror and see that his face were dirty, he would not attempt to cleanse himself with that mirror. He would need a wash-cloth. In the same way, a person who looks into the mirror of the Law and realizes his imperfection is not able to use that mirror (the Law) to cleanse himself. He must wash the sin by use of the cleaning solution of the shed blood of Jesus Christ in the experience of regeneration by and through faith.
Works, both good works and the works of the Law, are seen to be inadequate with regards to the salvation of an individual.
THE WORKS OF DEITY
There is, however, a work which is effective in the salvation of a sinner. There is a work which causes the good works of the redeemed. That work is the Good Work that Deity performed on the cross of Calvary when the spotless Lamb of God bled and died so that doomed mankind might become the delivered of God.
Matthew 17:5 says, �While he yet spake, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him.� This was on the mountain peak of the Transfiguration. Christ was shown in His glory as God spoke through the cloud.
God speaks in different ways to mankind. He spoke to Moses in a burning bush. He spoke at the baptism of Jesus in the form of a dove. He speaks to us today through the Bible. Here God spoke from a bright cloud.
It is significant that He spoke through a bright cloud. The cloud speaks to us of Heavenly things. It is high above it. It is real and yet we can not touch it. We just know that it is real by the sight of our eyes. In the same way, we cannot see God. We can not reach out and touch God. We know, however, that He is there by the sight of our spiritual eyes.
Further, it was a bright cloud through which God spoke. It was not a plain, everyday cloud. It was bright. The cloud speaks to us of the radiance of God.
That cloud also overshadowed them. When the presence of God truly comes, that presence will overshadow all else.
Out of the cloud came a Voice - the Voice of God. The Voice said that Jesus is God�s beloved son. With Christ, God is well pleased. God said that He loves His Son. He tells us to hear what it is that the Son has to say.
Jesus said, �...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.� (John 14:6) There is no way by which a person may reject Christ and yet see God in Heaven. Rejection of Jesus is simply not accepting the salvation which He has offered. �He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life...� (John 3:36)
The Good Word of God towards us was the plan which He carried out to redeem mankind from sin.
Romans 8:32 says, �He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.� God did not spare His Own Son. God, Who loved His Son, Who was well pleased with His Son, delivered Him into the hands of men who despised Him. He allowed His Son to be tortured and killed for mankind. He did this for us. This is an awesome thought: Jesus Christ was delivered to be killed for me - and for you!
If this is true, and the Bible says that it is so, then God will freely give us all things. He has offered us salvation. This salvation, which is free to us if we will only accept it, came at a great price to Him.
God did not allow His Son to remain dead. Jesus returned to life and left the grave - alive! God put His Own seal of approval on the work of Jesus at Calvary by bringing His Son back from the dead.
It is wonderful to know that, although works can not save mankind, God has already completed a work that can take us from the snares of the devil and bring us to the safety of His Own Dominion.
If you have already accepted Christ as your Savior, why not simply carry out His command to do the good work of telling others of the work which Jesus did on the cross of Calvary?
If you haven�t already accepted Christ, why not accept Him now? Perhaps you�ve been trusting in what little good you believe that you could accomplish. Maybe you�ve been trying to keep th Law in hope that, by not doing too much wrong, you�d be able to gain salvation.
None of those things will work. But, if right now you will accept Jesus as your Savior, He will save you. It is His work! Just pray now and ask Him to come into your life and forgive you for your sins. Then begin to tell others of the life which you have found through His good work at the Cross of Calvary.