BEYOND RELIGION PART 3. GOODWORKS
In the part one and part two of this series, I have established some basic things about what makes Christianity to be unique compared to other religions. Jesus didn’t come to introduce a religion, He came to reconcile men Back to God so men can have life. ANY SEARCH OF GOD OUTSIDE CHRIST IS RELIGION. Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to God. He didn’t come to show us the way, He came as the true and living way. John 14:6. In Christ men are accepted before God and they become the sons of God. As sons there is a lifestyle that is a reflection of our nature. Here lies the focus of this Part 3, BEYOND RELIGION:GOOD WORKS. There is morality religion can produce out of bondage, there is what the life of Christ can produce in freedom.
Many times when people hear of the graciousness of God, the first thing that they think is, are you now saying we should start living anyhow? The graciousness of God doesn’t mean what we do doesn’t matter. WHAT WE DO MATTERS. It is just that God doesn’t relate with man base on there actions. This is due to the goodness of God. Our lifestyle is very important as believers in Christ. When it comes to salvation works and lifestyle is not needed, salvation is fully by Grace. It is void of man’s effort. Ephesians 2: 8, Titus 3: 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Talking of good works, we must realise first the reason and necessity for it. Haven established that it is not necessary for Salvation, what then is the need for Good works? Let’s look at the scriptures.
Matthew 5: 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Notice in the above scripture, your light shining is before men, not God. You are already accepted before God, but men need to see that in your lifestyle. It is the men that sees your good works. So we can see from here that good works makes men to give glory to God . The essence of good works is for men. God is involved because He gets the glory when you represent him well in your lifestyle. This Scripture above is the first time the word good works is mentioned in the Greek text (The new Testament books of the Bible). Let’s look at another scripture.
Titus 3:
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
In the above scripture we see that good works is profitable to men. It’s profit to men is its profit to God. We are Christ representatives, as such our lifestyle should reflect who we are.
Another scripture to buttress this point is
Hebrews 12: 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Many times people misinterpret this verse to mean no God can see man without holiness. Notice it says follow PEACE WITH ALL MEN and FOLLOW HOLINESS WITH MEN TOO not God. We have peace with God already in Christ. Romans 5:1. The same book of Hebrews tells us that we have been perfected and made holy by the sacrifice of Christ. Hebrews 10:10 and 14.
Hebrews 10
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Therefore Holiness before God is a gift we have in Christ. This is why we should live holy, set apart life before men. It is so MEN CAN SEE GOD IN US. This is what Hebrews 12:14 is talking about. So the essence of good works is primarily for men. This is why in 1John we see that you cannot say you love God when you don’t love men. 1John 4:20.
Now that we have seen the relevant of good works, HOW DO WE SHOW GOOD WORKS? Let me first establish that the Christian life is IMPOSSIBLE FOR A MAN to live. It is Christ that lives IN and through us.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
When a man receives Christ, Christ becomes His life. The old self is crucified. Such a person becomes a new creature with the life of Christ. So it is Christ that live in and through us. You must accept this truth of your personality as a Christian. Many times we allow the world that doesn’t know us to define us. Your real self is Christ. So all we’re told to do is to reckon, acknowledge our true Identity in Christ, then let it out. The Christian life is best live by trusting. Many have been frustrated trying to do by there effort instead of trusting. The goal should be knowing who you are not who you are not. For example, know that You are righteous in Christ, instead of putting attention on your mistakes. . Let’s look at this scripture,
2Corithians 5: 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; BEHOLD, all things are become new.
Observe what we are told to behold is the new things, we are not to look at the old self. That old self doesn’t exist. The issue many times is the mind, because our mind has been so used to the old self, we have to fix our mind now on the person we have become in Christ. That new person is the one that has love as his nature. This is why whenever you act otherwise, you are not comfortable within. This is what James in James 1 calls looking at the perfect law of liberty like a mirror. We must keep looking at the true mirror of God’s word to define us. I am all that God says I am in Christ. This is the secret of having effortless good works. Lets look at another scripture.
Philippians 2: 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
OBSERVE verse 13, it didn’t say work for your salvation. Salvation is free by Grace in Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9. Rather it says WORK OUT your Salvation. Notice again the salvation is called YOUR salvation. It is your own. You have it. You can only work out what has been worked in. Work it out with fear and trembling. Fear and trembling hear is reverence. It was also used to describe how Titus was received in 2Cor 7:15 15 ..., how with fear and trembling ye received him. It was also used in other places like Ephesians 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; This describes servants obedience to there masters. Therefore working out your salvation with fear and trembling means allowing your Salvation to be seen in Godly reverence. Notice verse 13 of Philippians 2 says It is God who works in us both to will and to do. THE WILLINGNESS AND THE ABILITY IS OF GOD. All we are to do is to ALLOW. What if you see yourself making same mistake every time , JUST LIVE. FORGET ABOUT YOUR MISTAKES, FOCUS ON YOUR NATURE.
Many times when people hear of having good works, the first thing they think of is THE LAW. Question, as a female, or male, do you need laws to act like ONE, obviously NO. The law is the strength of SIN.
Romans 3:
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. note
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
The essence of the law is to bring us to the end of yourself so we can look for Christ. With the law is the knowledge of sin. In Christ we have been made free from laws. It is the graciousness of God that helps us to live goodlifes. Grace is not a licence to sin. Infact you don’t need any licence to sin. All all it takes to sin is desire and choice. The dominion of sin is seen only under the law. The graciousness of God is The answer to man’s problem of sin. The more you see how gracious God is, the more youe life reflects His nature. This is beyond religion. Other religions has set of laws that they must keep to appease there displeased deity. In Christ God is already pleased with us and He is the one working living in and through us. We produce good works because that is who we are. We are told to LOVE EVEN OUR ENEMIES, because that is who we are. We are like our father who is kind to the unthankful and who causes rain to fall on the good and the wicked. The same gene runs in us. When next you want to act otherwise , remind yourself OF YOUR TRUE NATURE. You don’t need to lie, just be yourself.
In summary, we have looked many things in this BEYOND RELIGION series. Being in Christ is not and can never be a religion. Religion is the search for God outside Christ. In Christ, God came searching for man. He died for mankind. Every religion has a sacred temple, in Christ we are the TEMPLE of God(to read more on this check my post on GOD IN MAN). Every religion believes in afterlife, and what they do is what determines what happen to them in afterlife. In Christ, we have surety where to be in afterlife not because of what we do but because of what Christ has done(to read more on this check THE SURETY OF HEAVEN PART ONE, PART TWO, AND PART THREE) No religion have the God they serve as there father, In Christ our God is our father, is our papa. Every religion have a displeased deity who can only be pleased by what they do, in Christ we are FOREVER ACCEPTED before God not because of what we do. In Christ we have limitless Freedom.
WOW,
WHAT A LIFE!
WHAT A GOD!
WHAT A PRIVILEGE
WE HAVE
IN CHRIST.
By OBIAZIKWOR EMEKE MODESTY
www.emekemodesty.com
Thanks sir for this. It's really enlightening.