Works? Good Works?

Good Works?

An argument that has stemmed nearly from the beginning. And is responsible (the argument) for creating or giving creed to a multitude of Damnable sects and Factions that sprang of mans claiming vehemently FOR them, Or denying even good works in telling people they need only show up to church and say certain prayers and sing louder than those around you and join bible study and listen to scripture spoken to you every week or even several times a week if you want others to think you are truly 'Holy'.

This is the plague that has overcome many who claim Christ but ignore what he taught...What has plagued the congregation since the coming and ascending of Christ...is that which has always done so and from which stems all false doctrines and damnable idolatry under the guise of Christ, that being Natural Blindness or Tunnel vision.

They defend their doctrine and reject what they claim to uphold, using single verses or maybe 1 or 2 or rarely a half paragraph if it is worded to where they can twist and alter it to their purposes. The plain fact shown in the light is so plain that it doesn't take someone being learned in all secrets of scripture to understand it, but rather to simply continue reading what comes after or before the single morsels they profess as their doctrine, or to read both before and after what they show. For example lets look at one of the more commonly used scriptures to make the claim that we need no works and need only to believe. Just to start.

I will not be going over each and ever snippet of scripture they twist to their desires, simply because doing so would take so much more than this article would allow to be written...And it's tiring inside and out to do so.

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

This and others have been used, reused, and twisted time and time again by those who say that all we need to do is believe, and in that belief we need only to Sing "Gospel", Read Scripture, Pray and attend what they tell us are "Church functions" such as Bake Sales, Shared Meals, paying for speakers to come from far away to emphasize their Doctrine who can so juggle scripture through smooth words and flattery, that even those who may have had the want and desire to search scripture further, and seek after the pang in their heart and questions that they were rebuked for even asking, that they may be caught in their net of twisted scripture.

In which they are unable to see past the flashing lights nice clothes and gold fringed or false humility of the false prophet jumping up and down on the stage, and so the flock of christ is starved for the word and rebuked for asking to do that which Christ, paul and every apostle encouraged, which was to search the scripture to see if what they taught and told the people was indeed of God or of their own heads.

Aside from the obvious which I will begin to show you in a moment, Christ gave us a searching light to test every so called prophet or teacher with. He told us in this way:

Matthew 7:15-20

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every [*]tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

That is, if their fruit comes of an Evil heart and not one that has been changed of the Holy Spirit and thus made Good, shows them to be Evil :For example if said preachers wear many gold rings and clothes worth hundreds, while those he claims to love, suffer and struggle to even get the most basic of things then what they teach is not only not of a good tree but one that is rotten and seeking after Covetousness. If they do not have love for Christ's flock then how is the Love of God in them? and furthermore how do they call "Lord, Lord" the One who they will not follow?

In nearly all their examples of twisted or half cut scriptures we need only look back to the open and manifest scriptures that have always been at hand, without being told when to open and close, and what to look at and what to ignore.

1 John 3:11-24

11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil, but the deeds of his brother were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, [*]my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love [*]his brother abides in death. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know [*]love, that he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need but closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 [*]My little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in deed and truth. 19 By this [*]we know that we are of the truth and can reassure our hearts before him: 20 If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn [*]us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what is pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he [*]commanded. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God abides in him. And we know that he abides in us because of the Spirit he has given us.

Now In light of this, lets continue with the issue at hand, by works these false prophets proclaim the meaning to be thinking that we are saved by doing this or that, or abstaining from this or that. This done in the feigned shadow of the Old Covenant, so they claim.

Although they take as many snippets from the Old covenant in needless observances as they are able to profit from.

However the difference between good works and Works of the Law are as different as Light from the Dark, and is shown in FULLNESS of scripture rather than cherry picked verses set to maintain whatever doctrine of man that they are pasted over to keep together. For they know that if any look too closely by the scripture they allege then what they stand on will crumble as a house built on the sand in storm winds.

Ephesians 2:8-10

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. ((10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.))

They depend on those who walk as if asleep to maintain their teachings. So be awake and trust not in man but test every spirit. To which in their craftiness they happily allege that Good works are simply Praying, speaking the word to people, going to bible study or many bible studies, taking of the Lords Supper and all other things of the such they call Good Works in order to beguile and confuse those who will listen to them. When Good works are the fruits of the spirit which are outlined time and time again.

The Works of the Law are as was outlined in most of the Old covenant which the people fell from many many times, as well as through the fullness of the New Covenant under Christ. Which is the light of the Old.

The works of the Law are anything that a person might think they can do of their own power to be saved by. As the Jewish people fell to time and time again, trying to be justified by their works of the law, thinking the deeds themselves made them justified.

As Isaiah 1 and many other places explain clearly.

Isaiah 1:10-17

Hear the word of the Lord,You rulers of Sodom;Give ear to the law of our God,You people of Gomorrah:11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?”Says the Lord.“I have had enough of burnt offerings of ramsAnd the fat of fed cattle.I do not delight in the blood of bulls,Or of lambs or goats.

12 “When you come to appear before Me,Who has required this from your hand,To trample My courts?13 Bring no more futile[f] sacrifices;Incense is an abomination to Me.The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.14 Your New Moons and your appointed feastsMy soul hates;They are a trouble to Me,I am weary of bearing them.15 When you [g]spread out your hands,I will hide My eyes from you;Even though you make many prayers,I will not hear.Your hands are full of [h]blood.

16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.Cease to do evil,17 Learn to do good;Seek justice,Rebuke [i]the oppressor;[j]Defend the fatherless,Plead for the widow.

Good Works are done of Love, Faith and an inward willingness to do all that the Law of God commands by the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Which by faith in he alone do we have the want to fullfill the law, and not by compulsion simply because they are written and to avoid the punishment of not doing them if we claim to be of God through Christ.

To Works of the Law we have many examples by our Lord, as shown in his rebuke of the pharisees, as just One example.

Shown first in the Prophet Isaiah but expounded by christ and explained here.

Matthew 15:1-9

15 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father [a]or mother.’ Thus you have made the [b]commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 ‘These people [c]draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

"Whatever profit you have received of me is a gift to God" Showing that in simply doing the deed with whatever feigned doctrine of their Tradition, they sought to be justified and thought themselves pure.

It is by Faith that the Law of God is upheld. It is by Love and want to fullfill the law by the forgiveness and Love offered in Jesus christ from The father, to obey the law willingly and not of compulsion.

Those who seek to do Good works seek to obey the law as it was fulfilled , as if there were no law at all they do so with a willing heart.

To obey the law in full trust of the promises of God made in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, in knowing that he will fulfill all of his promises, for the sake of Christs blood if we but believe and promise to obey him, and are given the gift of the Holy Spirit when they truly believe with a willingness to obey.

As shown in many places through scripture, though many feign receiving the Holy Spirit as all that baptism is, though the word explains it fully, when it isn't ignored.

Acts 5:28-32

28 “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? Yet behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you are determined to bring the blood of this man upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you murdered by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his right hand as Leader and Savior to grant repentance to Israel and remission of sins. 32 [*]Concerning these things we are his witnesses, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

So dont be tossed about by every wave of doctrine given by man, for there are many and getting caught in one web means falling into another if you loose yourself from one part. Understanding comes by the spirit which is by faith in the word preached, and belief in the promises of God given through Christ. For Works of the Law indeed will not justify you, nor are you saved by them. But Good works which stem of faith are that which you will be judged by.

And in doing so from a true and faithful heart, for love of your neighbor as God showed his loved for you through Christ. Not done as the Jewish people of ancient times did in thinking they could trick God in performing the works themselves and be justified by them, though their hearts were of their own covetousness, and varying idolatries.

It is by Faith that we uphold the Law, not by the works themselves....

Romans 3:27-31

27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 [*]We conclude therefore that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles also? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since God is one, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then nullify the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

The law of Faith is that which Christ fulfilled in all that he expounded to his apostles and all who had their eyes opened to see, and ears to hear. The same Law in which holds the 10 Commandments, in which they all rest.

Love The Lord Your God With All Of Your Heart Mind, Soul, and all of your strength.

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself.

Love one another as Christ has Loved Us.

In this is the whole of the Law, as it was explained in the beginning, without the veil put on it by the pharisees. The sad fact is that many if not most Denominations either don't teach this, or aren't aware of it, and because of that...A person may "Go To Church" all their lives long and know little more scripture than a child on their first day...

Praise be to the Lord Jesus Christ, All Glory to the Father and may the Holy Spirit by the will of God according to your faith guide you in all things. Amen