Jim Parker
Member
- Apr 17, 2015
- 11,259
- 2,694
Words we throw around just like we knew what they meant
(Eph 2:8-10)
For by grace
you have been saved
through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift from God,
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Works, Good Works and Works of the Law
1. Works
a. The word “works” refers to the actions we take so everything we do, and
some of the things we think, are “works.”
b. Scripture specifically says that we are not saved by works. (Eph 2:8-9)
i. God is not required to save anyone.
ii. But, God does save us because He is Gracious and merciful and He
loves mankind
c. So what is a “work”?
i. A “work” is something you do.
ii. A “work” is an action.
ii. A “work” can be good or evil.
> If the work is according to God’s will, it is good.
> If the “work” is against God’s will, it is evil.
2. Good works
a Scripture says we were created in Christ Jesus to do good works. (Eph 2:10)
i. So doing good works is one reason we were created.
ii. Jesus tells us to do good works. (Mat 5:16)
iii. Good works glorify God. (Mat 5:16)
b. What are “good works?
i. Acts arising from the fruit of the Spirit are good works
…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal 5:22-23)
ii. Acts of love are good works.
Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude.
Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things. Love never ends; (1 Cor 13:4-8a)
c. What are evil works? (AKA: “Works of the flesh”
i. Actions arising from the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the
pride of life are evil works.
Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry,
sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit,
envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. (Gal 5:19-21a)
d. What is the result of leading a life characterized by “works of the flesh”?
I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:21b)
i. After a life characterized by the works of the flesh is over, The King of
Kings and Lord of Lords will say to that person:
“Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;
for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me,
sick and in prison and you did not visit me”. (Mat 25:41-43)
e. What is the result of leading a life characterized by good works?
i. After a life characterized by the fruit of the spirit and of love is over, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords will say to that person
“Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world;
for I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me,
I was in prison and you came to me.” (Mat 25:34-36)
And:
Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your master. (Mat 25:21, 23)
f. So how important is it for a Christian to do good works and not do the “works
of the flesh”?
i. Paul said
(God) will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life
but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness,
there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress
for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,
but glory and honor and peace for every one who does good,
the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. (Ro 2:6-11)
ii. Jesus said:
… the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life,
and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (John 5:28-29)
3. Works of the Law
a. What does Paul mean when he says “works of the Law”?
i. All the actions prescribed by the Law of Moses. (615?)
ii. Circumcision (Technically not part of the Law)
b. What was the purpose of the law?
i. To teach us that we cannot live a holy life by our own efforts.
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. (Jas 2:10)
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written,
"Cursed be every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law,
and do them." (Gal 3:10)
ii. To bring us to the awareness that we need a savior.
Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Gal 3:24)
c. Confusion between works or good works and works of the law.
i. All the works of the law are good
> BUT: They were not able to save anyone.
> BECAUSE: No one could keep them all by their own effort
ii. Good works are good even if there was no law.
iii. Keeping the Law of Moses as best you can identifies you as a Jew.
iv. Doing good works in obedience to Christ identifies you as a Christian.
d. What is the reward of keeping the Law of Moses?
You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you,
that you may live, and that it may go well with you,
and that you may live long in the land which you shall possess. (Deut 5:33)
(Yes, all you Trekkies, that is “Live long and proper.”)
e. What is the reward for doing good works in obedience to Jesus?
(God) will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; (Ro 2:6)
and
all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth
—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, (john 5:28)
(Eph 2:8-10)
For by grace
you have been saved
through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift from God,
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them
Four items: 1. Grace
2. Saved
3. Faith2. Saved
4. Works
And one more 5. Everlasting (Eternal) Life.John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Works, Good Works and Works of the Law
1. Works
a. The word “works” refers to the actions we take so everything we do, and
some of the things we think, are “works.”
b. Scripture specifically says that we are not saved by works. (Eph 2:8-9)
i. God is not required to save anyone.
ii. But, God does save us because He is Gracious and merciful and He
loves mankind
c. So what is a “work”?
i. A “work” is something you do.
ii. A “work” is an action.
ii. A “work” can be good or evil.
> If the work is according to God’s will, it is good.
> If the “work” is against God’s will, it is evil.
2. Good works
a Scripture says we were created in Christ Jesus to do good works. (Eph 2:10)
i. So doing good works is one reason we were created.
ii. Jesus tells us to do good works. (Mat 5:16)
iii. Good works glorify God. (Mat 5:16)
b. What are “good works?
i. Acts arising from the fruit of the Spirit are good works
…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal 5:22-23)
ii. Acts of love are good works.
Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude.
Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things. Love never ends; (1 Cor 13:4-8a)
c. What are evil works? (AKA: “Works of the flesh”
i. Actions arising from the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the
pride of life are evil works.
Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry,
sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit,
envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. (Gal 5:19-21a)
d. What is the result of leading a life characterized by “works of the flesh”?
I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:21b)
i. After a life characterized by the works of the flesh is over, The King of
Kings and Lord of Lords will say to that person:
“Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;
for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me,
sick and in prison and you did not visit me”. (Mat 25:41-43)
e. What is the result of leading a life characterized by good works?
i. After a life characterized by the fruit of the spirit and of love is over, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords will say to that person
“Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world;
for I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me,
I was in prison and you came to me.” (Mat 25:34-36)
And:
Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your master. (Mat 25:21, 23)
f. So how important is it for a Christian to do good works and not do the “works
of the flesh”?
i. Paul said
(God) will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life
but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness,
there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress
for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,
but glory and honor and peace for every one who does good,
the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. (Ro 2:6-11)
ii. Jesus said:
… the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life,
and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (John 5:28-29)
3. Works of the Law
a. What does Paul mean when he says “works of the Law”?
i. All the actions prescribed by the Law of Moses. (615?)
ii. Circumcision (Technically not part of the Law)
b. What was the purpose of the law?
i. To teach us that we cannot live a holy life by our own efforts.
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. (Jas 2:10)
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written,
"Cursed be every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law,
and do them." (Gal 3:10)
ii. To bring us to the awareness that we need a savior.
Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Gal 3:24)
c. Confusion between works or good works and works of the law.
i. All the works of the law are good
> BUT: They were not able to save anyone.
> BECAUSE: No one could keep them all by their own effort
ii. Good works are good even if there was no law.
iii. Keeping the Law of Moses as best you can identifies you as a Jew.
iv. Doing good works in obedience to Christ identifies you as a Christian.
d. What is the reward of keeping the Law of Moses?
You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you,
that you may live, and that it may go well with you,
and that you may live long in the land which you shall possess. (Deut 5:33)
(Yes, all you Trekkies, that is “Live long and proper.”)
e. What is the reward for doing good works in obedience to Jesus?
(God) will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; (Ro 2:6)
and
all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth
—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, (john 5:28)