Eternal Approach

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

If we do not let the Lord work in us, then the works we produce will be of our own creation. And He will not get the glory. It is either His working or ours; either His Spirit or our own that produces the works.

If we do the work, then the world will not see Christ. They will only see us and our “Christian” good works.

They will see good works done in His name. But not those done in and through His Spirit.

The Father is not glorified in the good works which we do in our own strength. He is only glorified by His own working done by His Holy Spirit.

His works are done by His activity in us; not in our activity dedicated to Him. Even though we may give Him the credit.

We do a good deed for someone. We sing a beautiful solo in church. We preach a great sermon. We give our “tithe”. Or we give extra money for some special project of the church or for some other Christian ministry. We pray for people on our list. We read a couple chapters of the Bible every day.

We help an old lady across the street.

If our Christian “good works” are done according to the intense, devoted, will-power of our own spirit – even out of our own deeply sincere Christian spirit – even with the best of “loving” intentions – then the Lord is not glorified.

God Will Do His Own Work

We are not meant to work on His behalf. We are not here to serve some spiritual cause.

Nor to work for a Christian “movement”. No matter how good that Christian cause may be or how good that movement may be.

We are called to yield to the Lord and rest in Him, by faith.

We are called to obey the truth through the Spirit.

We are called to wait for Him as He works in us to do those things which He wills according to His good pleasure. And according to His timing.

God is not glorified in the strength or dedication or devotion of our Christian “will power”.

The only one glorified by that is the Christian himself.

Image by Geralt from Pixabay

False Identification

In concluding this discussion of good works, there is a very dangerous deception having increasing influence in the Evangelical world.

It involves the confusion created when Evangelical leaders praise deeply religious people who have given their lives to help the poor, to fight for social justice, or to work with orphans, the sick, or the outcasts of society.

Just to be clear, the problem is not about giving credit to those whose work has been of great benefit to others. Nor about praising them for work they have done at great cost to themselves.

All of us can certainly recognize and be grateful to those who have helped other people.

However, this specifically relates to the identification of deeply religious people as great Christian examples based upon their good works; while these same people continue to hold to a spiritual belief that denies salvation by Christ alone, by faith alone, according to the scriptures alone.

For all practical purposes, these people are commonly being embraced as Christians based upon their outward show of good works rather than the specific truths they claim to believe about Jesus Christ and the word of God.

In doing this, we send a confused message to false religious leaders, to those who follow them, to the watching world, and to undiscerning believers. 

And we communicate a gospel that is in direct contradiction to the true gospel of faith alone in Christ alone.

And we give a false hope of salvation to those who are not trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ as their only basis of eternal life.

Continue reading “The Creator of Spiritual Fruit: Conclusion” →

“This only would I learn of you, received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:2-5)

We can talk about the Holy Spirit all day long. We can read verses about the Holy Spirit as well. We can even read great books about the Holy Spirit.

But, unless we are brought to that place of seeing our dire need, as believers, for His continual work in our lives, He will simply remain an abstract idea to us.

Yes, we may see how He is necessary for our salvation. And even as someone who greatly influences our good behavior. And who gives us power to do good things.

But, practically speaking, we may still attempt to produce the works of God through our own dedication and will power. By the focused discipline of our own Christian flesh. Employing all kinds of methods and practices to bring our flesh under control.

Instead of patiently depending on the creation of His works in us.

Continue reading “The Creator of Spiritual Fruit” →