Godly Works

 What is Required of Us When Doing Works For God?

Works definition - In Christian theology, good works, or simply works, are a person's (exterior) actions or deeds, in contrast to inner qualities such as grace and faith.

Works are "good" only when they spring from the principle of our love of God. The moral character of an act is determined by the moral principle that prompts it. Faith and love in the heart are the essential elements of all true obedience. Hence, good works only spring from a believing heart and can only be carried out by one reconciled to God

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.;

James 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

James 2 :22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

Good works have the glory of God as their object; and they have the revealed will of God as their as a standard.  

Deuteronomy 12:32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from

Revelation 22:18-19 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Good works are an expression of gratitude in the believer's heart

John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

They are the fruits of the Spirit

Colossians 1: 9-12 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Good works with the sincerest believers are accepted through the mediation of Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him), and so are rewarded; they have no merit essentially, but are rewarded wholly by grace and by their actions.

The Biblical foundation for works has been established.  Works can include missions, bible studies, all phases of church and individual ministry, volunteering, teaching, evangelizing, praying, etc.

What is not taught in the church and should be required, or should I say commanded to do while doing works by all believers.  Two come to mind.  One in the Old Testament, and the other in the New Testament.

1.      Isaiah 61:1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me. To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Whatever works we do means we will encounter believers or nonbelievers who are suffering with sickness and disease mentally or physically. God has called us to bring them out of captivity.  To bring them out of prison where souls reside.  Psalm 142:7 Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.

2.      Mark 16:15-18 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands

Mark 16:15-18 is called the Great Commission. After Jesus arose from the grave He appeared to the eleven disciples to instruct them on what He wanted them to do going forward. No exception.  From this time forward the disciples did exactly what Jesus commanded them to do.  They carried out the Great Commission and they instructed those they encountered and taught them to do the same. Thus, they became disciples who discipled others all the way to the present.  We do this because we love God (John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments). All or parts of the Great Commission must be applied when doing works for God.  Unfortunately, the body of Jesus Christ fails to do this.  It is very rarely taught in the church, much less carried out.  For whatever reason, this basic commandment passed on from disciple to disciple and ceased for most of the body of Christ.  Jesus did not give believers an option. We must carry out the Great commission.

All or parts of the Great Commission is to be used to bring people out of captivity from being sick and diseased.  Sickness and disease come from disobedience (sin) as outlined in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.  God promises us we can be healed if we confess our sins (James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another (before God), and pray for one another, that you may be healed) and ask God to forgive us (1 John 1:19 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness).

Pretty basic stuff from God’s Word.  Yet the body of Jesus Christ fails to believe, teach, or make themselves available for healing so they can come out of captivity.                                                       Tony Sanchez 3-12-2023