Aug
15
Good Works
Filed Under Christian Living
I have the privilege of teaching the New Members’ / Communicants’ Class in two weeks on the third question of church membership which reads:
“Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ?”
This is what I call the “Sanctification Question”. It also brings up the question of where good works fit into the life of the Christian. We are certainly taught by the entirety of Scripture that even our best works cannot merit pardon of sin or eternal life. Pardon of sin and eternal life are only attained through God-wrought faith in Jesus Christ and his atoning work. Then what is to be our view of good works? The Westminster Confession had something to say in answer to this question in chapter 16.6:
Notwithstanding [that our best works merit nothing before God], the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in Him; not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable and unreprovable in God’s sight; but that He, looking upon them in His Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections.
What shall I say in reflection on this rich Biblical doctrine? First, let me say that Christian good works must be done with the utmost humility. Our works remain tainted with the vilest of clinging sin. In fact, for the Christian, we sin a new sin after our conversion. Before salvation, the unregenerate man cannot taste of the depth of mercy stored up in the gospel of Christ. He cannot fathom what a wonderful thing redemption from sin can be until his eyes are savingly opened by the Holy Spirit. But for the Christian, he has tasted of salvation. He has known redemption, pardon, and freedom. And yet he sins. His works still, in small and large measure, are infiltrated with self-serving idolatry. It should lead the Christian to the utmost humility in Christian service. Secondly, Christian good works must be done with a steadfast gaze on Christ. He is the one to whom the Christian is united like a branch to the vine. Without Christ we can do nothing. It is only “in Christ” that our works can bear even the least bit of approval before our God. But it is also “in Christ” that we bear the most amount of approval being sons and daughters in whom God is well pleased.
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