Sunday, July 10, 2011 am
NOTE: This lesson was presented as two sermons
COMFORT DOCTRINES (4)
Are We Saved by Works?
a.
The concept of salvation
by good works is somewhat deceitful.
Typically one will not profess such to be the case, but deep down
it is exactly what many believe.
b.
Good works outweigh your
evil works means salvation.
There are far too many who believe that their salvation will depend upon
the amount of good they do for others and for God.
When someone says, “But I’m a good person” or “I’m not that bad”,
they are depending upon their works to save them.
c.
There are works based
religions that in essence teach if you do certain things they alone will
save you. Islam is a
religion of this sort.
Catholicism is works based where a priest can pronounce your penance to
receive forgiveness, the baptism of babies, etc.
d.
There are minimalists
who seek to get by with doing as little as possible (such as attend on
Easter and Christmas) and be a generally good person, that they will be
saved.
e.
Some pick and choose
which commands they must keep while rejecting others.
They reason that as long as I do what God commands “in this
______” (insert pet doctrine) they will be acceptable.
While they may have accurate understanding of some doctrinal
subject and keep it, they elevate that over the rest of the word of God
and fall short of total obedience.
When people place emphasis on the 10 commandments we have an example of
this (NOTE that what Jesus said was the greatest commandment was NOT one
of “the 10” – Matt. 22:35-40).
Others might choose a certain set of commands, such as finding the True
church and base their salvation on that alone.
Some base their salvation on their ability to expose false doctrine and
false teachers. They
elevate such over a godly life.
Still others seek to define which sins are the more serious ones and
avoid them while engaging in the “little things” that they divine to be
of no account.
The PROBLEM with such examples is that while they do part of what is
commanded, they leave undone other parts, often “the weightier matters
of the law” (Matt. 23:23)
f.
Some Christians need to
be aware of this as well.
Sometimes we reason that as long as I do certain things (i.e. got to
church on Sunday, giving, do a minimal amount of Bible reading and
prayer, etc.) that it will be enough.
g.
Consider also those who
think they are the exception to God’s rules.
While everyone else must abide by all of God’s rules, we seem to
think that we are an exception for whatever reasons.
h.
All these are examples
of those who find comfort in their works.
a.
The challenge we face as
Christians is understanding the balance between God’s grace, our faith
and the need to do what God has commanded.
We need to clearly understand what the Bible teaches about these
subjects (grace, faith, obedience, works, law, etc.).
Are works necessary?
And if so, what type of works are needed?
Is there a difference between works and obedience?
b.
Understanding the grace
of God –
i.
The grace of God is the
PRIME factor in our salvation.
Without God’s grace, the process stops completely.
ii.
What is grace?
The Greek word for grace is “xa/ri$,
charis” and means
properly, “that which affords joy, pleasure delight…” (Thayer).
In relation to God it means His good will, loving-kindness and
favor which produces that joy.
McClintock and Strong describe it as, “God’s forgiving mercy, as
gratuitous and opposed to merit.”
The Word Study Dictionary of the NT defines it, “xa/ri$...particularly
that which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, favor, acceptance, for a
kindness granted or desired, a benefit, thanks, gratitude. A favor done
without expectation of return; the absolutely free expression of the
loving kindness of God to men finding its only motive in the bounty and
benevolence of the Giver; unearned and unmerited favor.”[1]
iii.
We often speak of the
grace of God as His gift to us – and it is.
In our study we want to examine this grace.
That which God has done for our salvation.
iv.
The importance of grace
– Eph. 1:7 says, “In Him we have
redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the
riches of His grace.”
Eph. 2:8-9, “For by grace you have
been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of
God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (cf. Eph. 2:1-10)
Romans 3:23-24, “For all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…”
Titus 2:11-13, “For the grace of
God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope
and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”
v.
Multitudes of passages
can be added to these which emphasize that our salvation is by God’s
grace. It is a gift
offered to each of us, but
NOT forced upon us. The
grace of God CANNOT be earned BUT it is conditional.
That is where obedience enters the picture.
To illustrate this consider:
1.
The fall of Jericho –
Josh. 6:1-20. Vs. 2 says,
“See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king and the mighty men
of valor.” NOTICE how
Jericho was a GIFT from God (i.e. His grace).
Vs. 3, “You shall march around the city…”
NOTICE how even though it was a gift they were given instructions
to follow in order to receive the city.
They HAD TO obey in order to receive.
Considering the extraordinary circumstances, it is obvious they believed
God and trusted Him (FAITH).
Heb. 11:30 tells us, “By faith, the walls of Jericho fell, after they
were encircled for seven days.”
2.
Gideon and the
Midianites – Judges 7:1-22.
Gideon was a judge God commissioned to deliver Israel from Midianite
oppression. What is
interesting is the way in which the army was defeated.
Reducing the army of Israel from 32,000 to 300 valiant men
demonstrated that God delivered them.
With clay pitchers, horns and lanterns they defeated the entire
army.
Vs. 9 says, “It happened on the same night that the Lord said to him,
‘Arise, go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your
hand.” (God’s gift – grace)
BUT they had to believe God in order to do that (faith)
AND they still had to do what God said – divide into three groups, put
the lanterns in the pitchers and on signal break them and blow their
trumpets. The rest took care
of itself. (Obedient works)
NOW, did the actions of the 300 men EARN that victory?
Did they accomplish it by their works? NO!
It was God’s work that defeated the Midianites. BUT they still
had to comply with His conditions to receive His promise.
3.
Truly, to place
conditional requirements for receiving the grace of God does NOT negate
that it is a gift of grace.
WE will discuss this more in a few moments.
vi.
What does His grace
consist of? EVERYTHING He has done to make our salvation possible –
including the sending of Jesus and acceptance of His sacrifice for our
sins (Eph. 2:4-6), His revealed message to us, His plan of salvation
through which we can come in contact with the blood of Jesus, the
spiritual blessings He bestows upon us, His willingness to keep
forgiving us when we sin against Him as His children, etc.
vii.
We must understand this
if we are to explain passages that say works are not necessary.
BUT in so doing, we need to define what works are.
c.
Understanding works
i.
Ephesians 2:9 in context
of grace says that our salvation is, “not of works lest anyone should
boast.” Does this mean that
to be saved we do not do anything or is it dealing with a specific type
of works? In other words, is obedience necessary?
And if so, how do we explain passages such as this and Romans Who
determines obedience?
ii.
There are clearly works
that do NOT save. Romans
3:20 says, “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified
in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
Rom 4:2-4, “For if Abraham was
justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness."
Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as
debt.”
iii.
BUT there are also
commands that MUST be obeyed!
1.
Gal. 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill
the law of Christ.”
NOTICE that there is a law we are expected to fulfill!
Cf. Rom. 3:27 – the law of faith, Rom. 8:7, the law
of God, etc.
2.
Gal 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails
anything, but faith working
through love.” Jas.
1:22, 25 – be doers of the word and not hearers only,
Jas. 2:24 – In all of these passages we find WORKS are
associated with our justification.
3.
1 John 5:3-4, “For this is the love of God, that we
keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”
Notice how we have commandments that we will keep if we
love God. 1 John 2:3 says we
know Him by keeping His commandments.
Acts 17:30,31 – God commands all men everywhere to repent.
4.
Rom. 6:17, 18 – “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you
obeyed from the heart that
form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
And having been set free from
sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”
Notice how their response was described as their obedience.
See also Heb. 5:9, Jesus became the author of eternal salvation
to all who obey Him.
1 Pet. 1:22, “Since you have
purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit…”
Matt. 7:21-23 – while not using the word obey speaks of one doing the
will of the Father or obeying Him.
5.
OVER AND OVER we find
instructions that call for action on our part.
iv.
So how do we reconcile
these texts? What is the
difference between “works, lest anyone should boast” and doing what God
commands us to obey?
1.
There are different
types of works
a.
Works of the flesh –
Gal. 5:19-21, Rom. 13:12-14 – works of darkness
b.
Works of the law – Gal.
2:16, Rom. 3:28
c.
Works of faith – 1
Thess. 1:3 – work of faith, 1 Cor. 15:58 – work of the Lord.
2.
The “works” that do not
save -
OBVIOUSLY, works of the flesh do not save.
But examining texts dealing with grace and works these are
clearly not what the author has in mind (i.e. He is not saying you are
saved by grace in place of lustful desires and sinful conduct).
The works under consideration in the above texts would be works of
the law.
In most epistles where “works of Law” or
“works” are contrasted with God’s grace and our faith (Romans,
Galatians, Hebrews, Ephesians, Colossians, etc.) the Law of Moses was
the focus, with secondary reference to laws and works of man. The
concern was the attitude that keeping such laws would be sufficient to
EARN one’s salvation. But,
that has NEVER been God’s intent.
Consider for a few moments the Law of Moses as contrasted with the
law of faith!
a.
The Law of Moses could not permanently forgive sins.
Heb. 10:1-4, 11. This
was the FLAW of the Old Law (if you will – as such was God’s intent for
the Old Law) and became the premise upon which it became a law of
works.
b.
The Law of Moses
required sinless perfection
- Gal. 3:10-12.
Because that Law could not forgive sins, the only way it could save was
by keeping it perfectly. To
commit ONE sin would require something other than the Law to save – Jas.
2:10-12
c.
IF one kept the law perfectly, then he would have the right to brag about
it.
Because he had EARNED his salvation.
His salvation would have been solely by his works.
Rom. 4:2 – Abraham had nothing to boast of – and neither do we.
Therefore his salvation was more about him than about God.
d.
But NO ONE has ever kept
the law perfectly (except Jesus), therefore it could NOT justify him
before God.
Sins still remained and needed to be dealt with (Rom. 6:23).
NOTICE Heb. 7:11-12, “Therefore,
if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the
people received the law), what further need was there that another
priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be
called according to the order of Aaron?”
Heb. 8:7, “If the first covenant
had been faultless then no place would have been sought for a second.”
That is why WORKS of law
CANNOT save us.
3.
What about Abraham?
a.
He was NOT under the Law
of Moses, but he WAS under a law with works that could NOT take away
sins (One sin would disqualify him).
b.
Just like the Law of
Moses, for him to justify himself demanded perfect law keeping – Rom.
4:4.
c.
BUT he was not perfect.
Abraham DID sin. (He
lied about his wife Sarah, he tried to help God by fathering Isaac,
etc.)
d.
BUT he trusted God to
take care of him. It was his
FAITH that justified Him in God’s eyes. (Rom. 4:3).
e.
BUT even though his
works did not EARN him favor with God, his obedience through faith did
achieved it (see James 2:18-24 which describes this obedient faith).
The point is it was his attitude that led to obedience, not some
sense of entitlement. That’s
the difference.
4.
Works of faith
(necessary obedience)
–
Means that we do what God tells us to do, BECAUSE he tells us to do it.
He makes promises based upon our compliance with His conditions.
He offers us a gift, if we will do what He asks us to do.
Just like Jericho and Gideon’s valiant 300 (and Noah and Naaman).
Consider the law of faith in contrast with the Law of Moses:
a.
You do not have to be
sinlessly perfect because He has made provisions for your forgiveness.
Rom. 3:23-24.
The blood of Jesus was offered once for all – Heb. 10:11-14, 17
b.
This law provides
permanent forgiveness because it is based upon the sacrifice of Jesus.
Ephesians 1:7 says we have
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
c.
BUT you must
meet the conditions He has set forth to come in contact with
that blood. Rom. 6:17, Heb.
5:9
IF you are not a Christian – obey the gospel – H,B,R,C,B
If as a Christian you sin – repent (Ac. 8:22) and confess your sins to
God (1 John 1:9)
d.
The ultimate point,
man cannot trust in himself for salvation!
It is about TRUSTING in Jesus knowing He is your only hope of
salvation.
e.
Because you trust in Him
you will obey Him! (cf. 1 Pet. 3:21).
Friends you CANNOT separate the two! (again James 2:14-26)
f.
BUT, even after you have
obeyed there is still no place for boasting (Eph. 2:9).
Romans 3:27 says, “Where is boasting then?
It is excluded. By
what law? OF works? NO, but by the law of faith.”
Luke 17:10, “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which
you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what
was our duty to do.'"
5.
Friends, that is
difference between “works of law” and “works of faith”.
One is about entitlement and the
other is about obedience.
One is about you the other is about God.
It’s about your attitude and your understanding of where you
stand before God.
d.
Understanding obedience
i.
What is obedience? “to
comply with, or follow the commands, restrictions, wishes, or
instructions of.” (www.dictionary.com)
In Greek it is a word that primarily means to listen to or hearken, with
the idea being that what you hear you submit to. (cf. 2 Thess. 1:8,
3:14, Heb. 5:9)
ii.
Examples of obedience
1.
Children obey your
parents in the Lord for this is right (Eph. 6:1)
2.
Obey the law – Rom.
13:1, 5 – both verses use the term “subject”
iii.
NOTICE how in examples
such as these, you don’t EARN something in the same way you earn your
wages for a job you do. You
obey because it is the right thing to do.
iv.
When one obeys there are
usually rewards associated with it.
Both as a child and obeying the laws of the land have rewards –
protections, freedoms, trust, etc.
When you disobey there
are usually consequences!
v.
Obeying God is based
upon one’s belief and trust in Him and His word.
It is an attitude that does what He says because He said to.
It involves an understanding that He DEMANDS this obedience to be
justified. But regardless of
what we do, we realize it is still God’s grace that saves us. This
obedience is about Him and not you!
When we disobey we can expect consequences!
2 Thess. 3:14, 1:8, Heb. 3:18, etc.
a.
Simply stated, He
demands a faith that will obey Him.
Does it involve works?
ABSOLUTELY!
But are they meritorious works? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
b.
He demands that we
reverence Him – Heb. 12:28 – serve Him “with reverence and godly fear.”
c.
He demands that we seek
Him first – Matt. 6:33, 10:37-39, Luke 14:33, “So
likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My
disciple.”
d.
He demands that we be
holy – 1 Peter 1:13-16, “Therefore
gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon
the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus
Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former
lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also
be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am
holy."
e.
He demands that we
purify ourselves. 1 John
3:3, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He
is pure.”
a.
Back to the point of
this lesson. Salvation by
works is a doctrine of false comfort, because it diminishes our
dependence on God for salvation.
IT becomes more about us and less about Him.
WE must NEVER reason that we have done enough and that we can retire
from serving Him. There is
NO work we do that earns salvation.
BUT, we must obey Him “by faith”.
b.
First, we ought to find
true comfort as we are doing what we know He wants us to do.
Knowing that God is pleased with our efforts is reason enough.
c.
BUT also, under the New
Law, we know that we can be forgiven.
We have discussed how to take care of it.
ANYONE can do this.
d.
But if we refuse to obey
Him we ought to be afflicted and uncomfortable.
The
problem with salvation by works is that it leads to a sense of
entitlement. It can also
lead to despair where it is not needed (one who refuses to forgive
himself or accept God’s forgiveness, it can cause one to give up and
quit trying to do the right thing).
I
want to emphasize with this lesson that I do not believe God is in
heaven waiting for us to stumble so that He can exclude us from heaven.
But I want us to live realizing that sin, no matter how small, is
NEVER acceptable. We cannot
seek to justify ANY sin! If
there is ANY particular (type of) sin you think that God will overlook,
you have a bigger problem than that sin and you need to repent of that
attitude. That is what John was speaking of when he said we CANNOT sin
(1 John 3:9). BUT, when we
do sin, we CAN take care of it. (Same
context – we have an advocate with the Father – 1 John 2:1-2) Will we?
[1]
(from The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament ©
1992 by AMG International, Inc. Revised Edition, 1993