DEAD WORKS

What are Dead Works?

What Are Dead Works?

In all 4 of the witness statements we see Christ time and time again rebuking the pharisees and scribes and lawyers (those whos job was literally to argue the law of moses.) They had done everything that the law commanded them to do. By God through the law of moses. That of the Mosaic covenant. So they thought by what was written, though it had not gone to their heart for the most of them.

The last time you were taught how Christ fulfilled the law and prophets.

Via Love, as was explained thoroughly.

This and many other basics, many of you were never taught, though you spent your lives in church ..in tradition, in observing what you were told to observe..

The traditions of 'Church' said to bring you closer to God.

These among others, are dead works.

The Pharisees took it apon themselves to gloss over the true understanding of the law of moses with their own subtle changes, designed to imbue them with power and recognition instead of God.

By their traditions they hijacked the Law as it had been given.

Matthew 15:1-9

15 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

There is no man made tradition that will bring you closer to God.

As we see in most all of the 50,000+ Denominations that are presented to us by the world.

These among the many other things they did, were dead works.

As christ explained they were "painted tombs (sepulchres)."

And as christ explained in his sermon on the Mount, casting away the vile teachings the Pharisees and Scribes had used to cover up the teachings of the law and prophets.

Which we see begun in the following:

Matthew 5:17-20

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

I won't go too far into this part again. Suffice to say, we learned last time that Christ re-taught the law in its right understanding and explained what the prophets had tried to tell the people.

But the pharisees or rather their fathers and pregenitors had killed them for it, stoned them, imprisoned them and more.

The Pharisees observed every fast, every holiday and every empty prayer and so on. Doing what the word commanded only for the sounding of a trumpet infront of them.

As if to say "look at me and this good thing I've done!"

In the same way they altered the command to pray continuously furvently and always. Seeking to be lead by God.

Praying only in public to be seen. Making long exaggerated prayers as if it were a profession and not a calling to be holy as God is holy.

In the same way they gave to the needy.

Matthew 6:1-8

6 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

In the same way...we see more of this today and in wider numbers than in the days of the pharisees

It's taught to the masses, online and in "church" to pray certain prayers in certain ways.

Observe this holiday as a feast, it's "what we're supposed to do"

I can't tell you how many times I've asked why something is done only to be met with "it's tradition" or

"It's what we've always done"

These are responses from so called Elders.

They bring back many of the holidays and observances that christ and the apostles spoke against.

And ontop of it they incorporate pagan holidays under the guise of holiness.

Holidays meant to worship Not God but False God's, Under the Guise of Holy Days or

Holi-Days. Not only Catholicism or Orthodoxy mind you but most all of the 50,000+ Sects around today. Often times even adding in their own or declaring their own, or even entire months, years or even Decades of this or that!

It's true that much of the scripture was taken full out of context to be used as people would. Twisted and sculpted to what they wanted it to show. More often than not to give them a physical thing to grasp to take control of, or to take some sort of control over the congregation for gain of some sort. To these they attested their own works, although those who claim to be 'protestant' do the same thing in many ways that Catholicism or others do. Just in more of a guise of 'Comfortable Christianity'.

Such as attending church functions, going to 'church dances', Bake sales, Study Groups, Prayer Groups etc etc. While some of these things are obviously of scripture and needed things taught by the word, what makes it 'Comfortable Christianity' is the same thing that Christ rebuked the Pharisees for.

Matthew 23:23-25

23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

In teaching that to follow Christ is to only do the things that they attribute to good "christianly things", of the sort listed above, they make their own versions of what christ rebuked the pharisees for. They ignore the same things as most every other Sect does, as the Pharisees did.

And for the sake of "We don't want people to think we are judging them for not doing those kinds of things" or teaching "Good works are the result of being saved but it isnt required"

This and more do they do for the sake of their church which has become little more than a business.

These are works that are clear away from faith and lead you to depend wholly on their works by themselves, although they claim against such teachings from other sects such as Catholicism, which taught that the observance itself is what was taught and what pleased God.

Or to have your faith placed in the tradition or works as they are thinking that Our Lord, like the pagan false God's takes some kind of pleasure from our sacrifice or struggles. Though where others do not, they add in their own in other places.

I have come across those who say that they take a fast from their own medication in a "medical fast". To which those who adhere after mans doctrine happily tell them is not only alright but desired by God.

Things such as this are dangerous to both spirit and body, and wholly and utterly away from the word and out of the way.

Matthew 5:21-26

21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

In most every message or lesson given in one of these great many mans denominations. They cling to the 10 commandments as they are and even leave the further explanations given by christ himself. Holding again to them in the same way as the Pharisees, calling it the "original way". Rarely teaching how often in these things that the israelites angered God by their doing so for the act itself.

You were told that we are not to murder, but it was not explained that simply speaking in anger or malice to a brother or sister whom Christ gave his life for, the same as you, condemns you of the same. I have sat through a good many sermons both in person and online where the so called elder or pastor not only didn't teach this but adhered to mocking and impure speech himself, in order to simply get a reaction from the crowd and be found Pleasing to man.

Matthew 5:27-30

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

Adultery is of sexual immorality and one of the most contemptable sins to commit against God. And to be fled from. Simply following the letter of this law is how the pharisees fell astray and taught others to do the same. And as is rarely even spoken of let alone taught in the congregations today, to simply look to a woman in lust is the same act of sexual immorality in the heart. As with the rest of the commandments, as well in the heart as in the hand.

This is repeated throughout the whole of the word.

2 Corinthians 3:4-11

4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

Here as well as many other places.

Following the law simply because it is written and with no understanding of the love nor faith there in., as christ taught.

Makes it a Dead Work.

Some may claim when reading this that Paul, Peter or James were simply speaking of Works in general and not that of the way the pharisees followed scripture. And use this as some reason to say as well as what is taught, that works are unnecessary then.

This is a false lesson given by those desperate to keep their own interpretation and to do away with the responsibility and right duty in love, of following truly. Claiming against certain things and for others, chopping up the word of God for their own doctrine in order to make it fit within their custom sect. This is done out of fear, knowing that the doctrine they hold to so furvently, (as in all things of mans wisdom) are undone or sliced through by the whole of the word.

They quote many fractions of Paul's Gospel to do so.

However when scripture is cut and diced and twisted, instead of read in full, without the need to be able to truly give explanation of scripture, then what was taught becomes their own teaching and by this they raise up the word of god above their head though the majority of it is covered with fingers as they read to the congregation. This and the many other examples you will see in every denomination of man, offer an example of being offered a gospel other than was given.

To which we are warned to not only refuse but reject.

Simply reading a few verses further tells you the truth of those claims, that we are to do nothing but Sing, Pray, and repeat psalms, and gather in small groups for self edifying 'bake sales', flea markets, and the multitude of other things that the churches teach as Holy and good. Though they are used to gloss or paint over the truth of the word until it's been so well forgotten that the people are willing to run wherever they point.

Ephesians 2:1-10

2 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

You may recognize it more without including the 1st-7th and 10th verse. Without which they can turn and throw this scripture at whatever is needed at their whim. Which simply looking to the Holy Word of God does away with, loosing the bonds of their feigning.

To Follow dead works is to follow simply what was written because it was written, or because you are told it is a holy and good thing to do simply because you were told so.

And to think that doing so means that you are obeying the word and thus you must be a true christian.

Where as the entirety of the new covenant explains that only through faith in christ can that be given.

To do as he commanded which his words were that of the father through him.

Which is not simply to say you beleive or do what he said and observe the actions themselves as some new commandment.

They claim they do not hold to Works saving you, though truly they hold to only their own works and in a more comfortable way so that none feel 'put out' or 'overwhelmed' Even putting the falsely used scripture to it of "Why would you put a yolk on our necks that even our fathers could not bare?" applying it to the commandments themselves and the Word of God. In order to hold to what their flesh is comfortable with so that they can feel they are saved.

So what of Good Works?

To do Good Works is to follow the Law as it was explained and made whole, or Fulfilled.

Love The Lord Thy God With All Of your Heart, Mind, Soul And All Of Your Strength.

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself.

Love Each other As Christ has Loved You

To do as our Lord commanded in showing the same love to all others. Including our enemies, that he showed us.

And as was shown by every prophet that came before him and the word in whole, in telling the people that God is the God of the Poor, The Widow, The Alien or Sojourner. And to Open your hand wide to them, to plead the case of the widow, and justice for the orphan. and to always open your hand to the poor in their need.

To forgive as we were forgiven.

To have mercy on others as He had mercy on us

And to give from what you have to those who have nothing

As was taught throughout scripture in both the Old as well as the New, including by John the Baptist before Christ was baptized.

Luke 3:7-14

7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? 11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. 12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. 14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

In this is the same warning as was told.

The good works and fruits of the spirit in truth and Spirit need to be evident in every Christians life.

You can claim to be a follower of Christ and say his name a million times and eat nkthing but theblords supper reciting prayers in your sleep.

But it will guarantee you nothing.

Without Faith in christ. Showing the same Love, Mercy, Forgiveness and Kindness that you were shown when God forgave you when you were washed clean in the washing of regeneration. Doing Good Works in their right understanding...is nothing more than our duty to Christ as his desciples.

To be done not by the letter. But in Love, Deed and truth.

So Do not oersue the dead works that you are taught by the many false teachers of our day.

"Pray this prayer and 'Do away with curses'"

"Pay this ammount of money and peoppe will pray for you every day"

"Fast of all meat on Fridays and Saturdays."

"Observe this set of days where you "fast" from this that and the other and christ will be happy for your sacrifice"

There are hundreds and thousands of them and it would take weeks to list them .

These are dead works...thinking that God is happy with the sacrifice of them alone. And even more so if you recite prayers and read certain psalms.

This goes for blindly observing any holiday found in the old or new testament.

Do not fall for the same pharisaical false teachings that destroyed so many.

Seek him in truth. And learn what it is to follow the spirit through Gods Word.

Not ideas of man nor traditions that will do more to condemn than save you.

May the Lord bless you all with understanding and to know the truth of scripture.

Search scripture. Not as a means to give yourself freedom to sin, or seeking after more dead works in thinking there to be anything to the act itself.

But to know what it is you are to do.

Seek eternal life and do so through Jesus christ. Not in only reading and citing and arguing and saying prayers thinking power to be in words alone.

Luke 6:46-49

46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

As well as the rest of that chapter and many others.

Peace be with you all in the glorious name of Jesus Christ. All Glory to his Father and Ours. Amen