That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees

[Jethro Bodine]

Dead works are good things even scriptural, but it's something we planned and thought good. LIKE OPENING A FOOD PANTRY when the Lord never mentioned a food pantry.

I agree we should not be operating in gifts and callings we don't have, but I'm not convinced that is the definition of 'dead works'.

 

[JLB]

Both examples are dead works for the person who does them if they do them for the purpose of being declared righteous before God by them. But in and of themselves they are not dead works because in and of themselves they are not sinful works.

So if I obeyed God and went and passed out tracts by faith, that is your definition of dead works?

That is just the opposite of what the scripture teaches us righteousness is.

Seems to me that is exactly what Abraham did, and he was declared righteous before God.

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. James 2:21-23


This is an example of practicing righteousness.

Obeying what God tells us to do, is practicing righteousness.


Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 1 John 3:7


JLB

 

[JLB]

I read through this. That is not what JLB is saying. Fruitful works produce something for the kingdom. (GOD GIVEN DIRECTION THROUGH the Holy Spirit only!!!)

Dead works are good things even scriptural, but it's something we planned and thought good. LIKE OPENING A FOOD PANTRY when the Lord never mentioned a food pantry.

Scripture also talks about our reasonable service in a few places. LIKE work unto God and not men. See a brother and sister in need and helping them. These are paid back out of debt. Expected works.

:amen

 

[Brother Mike]

I agree we should not be operating in gifts and callings we don't have, but I'm not convinced that is the definition of 'dead works'.

AMP:
And the children were yet unborn and had so far done nothing either good or evil. Even so, in order further to carry out God's purpose of selection (election, choice), which depends not on works or what men can do, but on Him Who calls [them],
(Rom 9:11)

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
(Joh 15:5)

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
(Joh 15:4-5)

Any Work we do, that is not the direction of the Lord, and He is part of it. Is dead, and produces nothing lasting for the Kingdom of God.

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
(Eph 5:17)

Any work we do to help someone, if the Lord is not interested in helping, yet we pull them through then we do more harm to them than good. They may make it a bit further with our help, but we just get in the way of what God was wanting to do.

I am never moved by need, I have to hear first before acting on anything. If Jesus is not involved, then it produces nothing.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
(1Co 3:11-15)

The foundation is Jesus, and any work we do that He is not part of is dead works. You can feed millions of kids your whole life, start mission programs for them but if it's not something He said do, then it counts for ZERO.

Many churches start all kinds of programs the Lord never mentioned one time about starting, and it ends to produce nothing, and churches wonder why things go wrong all the time.

*************

Kenneth Hagin started a call center so folks could call in and be prayed for. Money got tight, things started to fall apart in some departments, and after seeking the Lord about it, the Lord asked him, "When did I tell you to start that call center?" The call center ended that day, but it seemed good to Brother Hagin to start it.

*****************************

The Lord asked Brother Copeland to fix something small in a department he had, but Brother Copeland thought no big deal, and just forgot about it. Well, until He got behind several million on the TV bill, he started to seek the Lord. He never been behind before. Just that one small thing was the cause, and He fixed it.

********************************************

It's the Lords Word, Anointing, Power, time we use as we are bought and paid for with a price.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
(1Co 6:19-20)

So if your going to use the Masters resources which just happens to be you and all He has given you, then it better be for what He wants them used for.

What if you had an employee giving away your merchandise to people when you never said they could do that?

Blessings.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

So if I obeyed God and went and passed out tracts by faith, that is your definition of dead works?

No, lol, that's your definition of dead works....the one I don't agree with. You're basically making the presumption about how and when you should serve God through a gift and calling equivalent to stealing and committing adultery.

Dead works are works that in and of themselves are unrighteous--you know, stealing, lying, etc. Giving to the poor is not a work that is in and of itself unrighteous such that if you do that without the spiritual gift to do that you are now somehow committing an act of unrighteousness like murdering or stealing. A more accurate description of 'dead works' is to NOT give to those in need--you know, greed, self-centeredness, hardheartedness--those are the 'dead works' of the flesh.

 

[JLB]

No, lol, that's your definition of dead works....the one I don't agree with. You're basically making the presumption about how and when you should serve God through a gift and calling equivalent to stealing and committing adultery.

Dead works are works that in and of themselves are unrighteous--you know, stealing, lying, etc. Giving to the poor is not a work that is in and of itself unrighteous such that if you do that without the spiritual gift to do that you are now somehow committing an act of unrighteousness like murdering or stealing. A more accurate description of 'dead works' is to NOT give to those in need--you know, greed, self-centeredness, hardheartedness--those are the 'dead works' of the flesh.

Jethro said -

Both examples are dead works for the person who does them if they do them for the purpose of being declared righteous before God by them.

Yeah right!


JLB