“GOOD WORKS”

 

The role of good works as they relate to salvation has been one of the most debated topics in the Bible. This is true as it relates to the conversion of a sinner and in our life after conversion as followers of Christ. Our friends and neighbors in denominational churches are taught that man cannot be saved by good works. In support of this, passages such as Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16, and Ephesians 2:8-9 are cited. These are usually countered with the text from James 2:18-26 which stress that faith apart from works does not save.

In Luke 7 we find an interesting situation of someone who engaged in a good work, yet in doing so, acted out of faith. We can learn about the role of good works and of faith from this story of a woman who washed Jesus’ feet. Jesus had accepted an invitation to dine with Simon, a Pharisee. While reclined at the table, a woman came and washed Jesus’ feet, dried them with her hair, then anointed his feet with a costly perfume. Simon then deemed Jesus’ acceptance of these acts as proof that He was no prophet, for this woman was a sinner. His reasoning was that if Jesus was a prophet He would not have allowed a sinner to approach him.

It is interesting that Simon did not condemn her for what she did. He is more focused upon his disappointment with Jesus. Jesus knows Simon’s thoughts. He speaks to Simon of two people, both of which owed debts that they couldn’t pay. These two debtors represented Simon and the woman. Jesus presents these two debtors’ situation to Simon in such a way that Simon’s answer is actually a self-incrimination. After Simon gives his answer, Jesus contrasts Simon’s behavior with the woman’s. Her treatment of Jesus was summed up by Jesus in verse 47 as ‘loving much’. Her forgiveness of her sins was her reward. Yet in verse 50 Jesus said that she had been saved by her faith.

Clearly this sinner woman’s acts of love were good works. Just as clear was the fact that they were acts of faith. Faith and good works harmonize just as is the case with Ephesians 2:8-9 and James 2:18-26. The apostle Paul described this in Galatians 5:6 as faith that worked through love. Remember also the many passages from the pen of John on Jesus’ teaching of how our love toward Him is to be expressed in obedience (cf. John 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:6). God had commanded that His Son be heard (John 17:5). Moses had repeatedly stated this (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19).  This sinner woman acted in faith. She acted out of love for Jesus. Her love was based upon faith in what Jesus had said of himself. When he said that he was God’s son, she believed that he was God. 

However as we look at Simon, what do we see? Why did he invite Jesus to his home? How might we determine his motives? In answer to this, consider what Jesus revealed to us from the story he told Simon of the two debtors. What had Simon not done TO Jesus in his treatment OF Jesus? Remember Simon’s reaction to Jesus’ accepting this woman in addition to his own answer to Jesus’ question. What does all this reveal about Simon? What was Simon’s belief in Jesus as a prophet based upon? Did Simon do any good works FOR JESUS? Would you conclude that he was a disciple? If not, what would you conclude about him? 

What of you and I? Are we more like Simon than we are like this sinner woman? What is our view of our self? If we are as Simon, we invite Jesus into our lives to judge him. Our decision to follow him is based on whether he acts in accordance with our wisdom. Our good works are not done out of any concern about our own debt nor our inability to pay it. We do good works to be seen (Matthew 6:1). In reality, we are attempting to pay our own debt by these good works.  

If we are as this woman, the good works that we do are based upon a broken heart, burdened by our own sinfulness. We act out of love for him, believing that he paid our debt. Our good works are with a view to glorifying him, not ourselves. We seek to do all things by faith in his words.

Jesus did many good works (John 10:32). These were evidence that he was one with the Father. As we seek to be one with Christ, our good works will be our evidence. In this way we will fulfill the words of Peter: “Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12).

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“JESUS CALLS US O’ER THE TUMULT”

One day a preacher was talking to a man who was supposed to be a Christian. The man told the preacher that he went to church services “most of the time” and seemed to think this put him in good standing with God. Many people fall into that same category. They assemble every now and then, yet consider themselves faithful to God.

But consider a few things that we might put into that same perspective and then see what conclusions we might draw...

~ What if a husband was faithful to his wife [or a wife faithful to her husband] MOST of the time?

~ What if your car started MOST of the time?

~ What if your heart beat MOST of the time?

~ What if your children obeyed you MOST of the time?

~ What if you received your paycheck MOST of the time?

 

What are your conclusions about these things? Would that husband or wife be considered faithful? Would you be satisfied with that car? Would you worry about your heart? Would you agree that these represent examples of being faithful? If not, then why should one think he could please God by being faithful SOME of the time? Jesus calls for commitment (Matthew 16:24). This commitment is not PART-time. (Luke 9:23). He asks us to count the cost and follow Him. (Luke 14:26-33). He said that once we put our hand to the plow we are not to look back (Luke 9:62). Jesus calls us, saying, ‘Christian, follow Me’, faithfully.

10/12/21

WHAT IS WRITTEN” versus “BIBLICAL SILENCE”

 

There are some people who are of the belief that we cannot “understand” truth as revealed in the scriptures. Let us consider what the Bible itself declares on this matter as well as considering the implications and dangers of such a conviction.

First of all, think of what such logic implies about the nature of God. David declared of God in Psalm 145:17, “The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” (cf. Nehemiah 9:8, 33). Similarly, Moses wrote of God, “…all His ways are just” (Deuteronomy 32:4). In view of these acknowledgements, how just and righteous would GOD be to place my salvation upon “that which is written” and then give me “that which is written” (the Bible) knowing all the while that I could not understand it? The word ‘understand’ occurs about 300 times in the Bible. Paul wrote, “Wherefore… understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17). Did Paul speak of an impossibility? He also said that those who read his epistle could understand what he knew of “the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:4).

If it were true that truth in the Bible could not be understood, only one of two reasons would explain why. Either GOD did not want us to understand it (verses just given prove otherwise), or He was not able to make His words understandable. Who would dare accuse God of the latter? Therefore, in addressing the question of whether it was God’s desire for man to understand His will, consider two texts: 

2 Peter 3:9:  ^“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

1 Timothy 2:4: “…who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.”

In view of the fact that God desires all to come to repentance and come to the knowledge of the truth, would anyone conclude that God purposefully spoke so as to NOT be understood on these matters? The Bible declares that God’s word is truth and that truth can be understood (John 17:17; 8:31-32; 7:17).

Consider also that if it were true that truth could not be understood, wherefore should truth even exist? Without truth, what consequences would we face? If truth did not exist, nothing could be labeled as error. If this were true, there could be no such thing as sin. If all this were true, then Jesus died for naught!

If truth can be understood at all, it can be understood alike. There can be only one correct understanding of the word of GOD. Anything other than this is a “misunderstanding.” “To understand” means to comprehend the meaning of; to receive the correct meaning of words and signs. There is a rule of logic that says two things cannot differ on the same subject and both be right. For example, if I tell you my phone number is 283-3634 and two weeks later you try to call me by calling 283-3436 stating that “I understood you to say…”; no, you did not understand me to say; you MIS-understood me to say 283-3436.

We can agree “on what is written”. Many times the reality is that our disagreements are not over what God’s word says, rather what God’s word doesn’t say.

Note these examples.

1. Exodus 3:1-3. GOD spoke to Moses out of a “bush that burned with fire”. We can agree it was a “burning bush”, but never agree on what kind of a bush it was that burned. The Bible is silent on the “kind” of bush it was.

2. John 3:1-2. We can all agree that Nicodemus came to Christ “by night”. However we can never agree on “why” he came by night. Unity can be found on the clear statement “by night”. Morning and noon are ruled out. Again, the Bible is silent on Nicodemus’ reason.

3. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. We can agree Paul had a thorn in the flesh. We will never be united on what it was because the Bible is silent on that!

4. John 8:1-8. This scripture explicitly states that Jesus “wrote on the ground”. On this we can all be united. WHAT did Jesus write? We do not know. The Bible does not say.

We either accept by faith the inspired record on these matters or we reject it. But if we accept it, we are in agreement. That upon which the Bible is silent cannot be the basis of faith (Romans 10:17). The basis for our faith must be the same basis for our unity. That basis is not God’s silence, but His words. God’s silence serves only as a basis for our opinions. Opinions are as our noses; everyone has one. The Bible does not demand unity on our opinions.

There is no authority in God’s “silence” because silence provides no precedent that can be bound or basis for agreement. GOD does not require unity where there is no authority. Let us remember: what GOD’S word teaches GOD approves, and what GOD’S word is silent on GOD rejects.

10/2/21