Works
Our works are not to be done to obtain salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9) “For by grace
are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of
works, less any man should boast”. But we are supposed to walk in good works
(Ephesians 2:10) “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good
works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them”.
David asks God “who shall abide in Your tabernacle? Who shall dwell in Your holy
hill?” then he answers “he that walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and
speaks the truth in his heart” (Psalms 15:1-2).
Jesus tells us “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Then goes on
says “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and
then He shall reward every man according of his works” (Matthew 16:27). In John
14:12 Jesus said “Verily, verily, I say to you, he that believes on Me, the works that I
do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to My
Father”.
James says “whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he
being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his
deed” (James 1:25). He explains “what does it profit, my brethren, though a man
say he has faith, and have not works, can faith save him? If a brother or sister be
naked, and destitute of daily food. And one of you say to them, depart in peace,
be you warmed and filled, notwithstanding you give them not those things which are
needful to the body, what does it profit? Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead,
being alone. Yea, a man may 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 2:14-18)
and goes on in verses 20-22 “But will you know, O vain man, that faith without
works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had
offered Isaac his son upon the altar? See you how faith working with his works, and
by works was faith made perfect?” The Bible says “that faith works by love”, and
Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:37:40 “you shall love the Lord, your God with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like to it. You shall love your neighbor as
yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”.
Peter speaking to Cornelius, after being called from Joppa, says “of a truth, I
perceive that God is no respecter of persons. But in every nation he that revered
Him, and works righteousness, is accepted with Him” (Acts 10:34-35). He also says
in I Peter 2:11-12 “dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. Having your conversation honest
among the Gentiles that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may
by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation”.
Paul says “but let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. For other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Not if any man
build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. Every
man’s work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be
revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’
s work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s
work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as
by fire” (I Corinthians 3:10-15). Again in 15:58 “therefore, my beloved brethren, be
you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as
you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord”. He tells them in I Timothy 6:18
“that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate”; “but watch you in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, make full proof of your ministry” (II Timothy 4:5). In Titus he repeats “In
all things showing yourself a pattern of good works in doctrine, showing un-
corruptness, gravity, sincerity. Sound speech, that cannot be condemned, that he
that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you”
(Titus 2:7-8). And in 3:8 “this is a faithful saying, and these things I will that you
affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain
good works. These things are good and profitable to men”.
John writes in the book of Revelation, what Jesus says to the churches (Revelation
2:2-3:16), He warns them that He sees their works, and warns them to repent and
return to their first works. To the church of Laodicea “I know your works, that you
are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot. So then because you are
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth”.
People always quote “we are saved by faith, not by works”, and that is true, but we
receive rewards by our works. The Bible says “In the mouth of two or three
witnesses shall every word be established” and this study concludes that we are to
have good works. In Mark 16:17-18 Jesus said “these signs shall follow them that
believe. In My name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues.
They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt
them, they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”. This confirms what
Jesus said in John 14:12. We are to do the works that Jesus did, remember that
Jesus said this. Let us study the scriptures and see what Jesus did in His earthly
ministry, and know that we have the authority to do the same. Let us not just be
saved, waiting to go to heaven, but let’s rise up and do good works, as it tells us in
Psalms 82:6,8 “I have said, you are gods and all of you are children of the Most
High. Arise, o god, judge the earth, for you shall inherit all nations”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: June 22, 2007
Our works are not to be done to obtain salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9) “For by grace
are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of
works, less any man should boast”. But we are supposed to walk in good works
(Ephesians 2:10) “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good
works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them”.
David asks God “who shall abide in Your tabernacle? Who shall dwell in Your holy
hill?” then he answers “he that walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and
speaks the truth in his heart” (Psalms 15:1-2).
Jesus tells us “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Then goes on
says “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and
then He shall reward every man according of his works” (Matthew 16:27). In John
14:12 Jesus said “Verily, verily, I say to you, he that believes on Me, the works that I
do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to My
Father”.
James says “whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he
being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his
deed” (James 1:25). He explains “what does it profit, my brethren, though a man
say he has faith, and have not works, can faith save him? If a brother or sister be
naked, and destitute of daily food. And one of you say to them, depart in peace,
be you warmed and filled, notwithstanding you give them not those things which are
needful to the body, what does it profit? Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead,
being alone. Yea, a man may 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 2:14-18)
and goes on in verses 20-22 “But will you know, O vain man, that faith without
works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had
offered Isaac his son upon the altar? See you how faith working with his works, and
by works was faith made perfect?” The Bible says “that faith works by love”, and
Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:37:40 “you shall love the Lord, your God with all your
heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like to it. You shall love your neighbor as
yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”.
Peter speaking to Cornelius, after being called from Joppa, says “of a truth, I
perceive that God is no respecter of persons. But in every nation he that revered
Him, and works righteousness, is accepted with Him” (Acts 10:34-35). He also says
in I Peter 2:11-12 “dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. Having your conversation honest
among the Gentiles that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may
by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation”.
Paul says “but let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. For other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Not if any man
build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. Every
man’s work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be
revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’
s work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s
work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as
by fire” (I Corinthians 3:10-15). Again in 15:58 “therefore, my beloved brethren, be
you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as
you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord”. He tells them in I Timothy 6:18
“that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate”; “but watch you in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, make full proof of your ministry” (II Timothy 4:5). In Titus he repeats “In
all things showing yourself a pattern of good works in doctrine, showing un-
corruptness, gravity, sincerity. Sound speech, that cannot be condemned, that he
that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you”
(Titus 2:7-8). And in 3:8 “this is a faithful saying, and these things I will that you
affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain
good works. These things are good and profitable to men”.
John writes in the book of Revelation, what Jesus says to the churches (Revelation
2:2-3:16), He warns them that He sees their works, and warns them to repent and
return to their first works. To the church of Laodicea “I know your works, that you
are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot. So then because you are
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth”.
People always quote “we are saved by faith, not by works”, and that is true, but we
receive rewards by our works. The Bible says “In the mouth of two or three
witnesses shall every word be established” and this study concludes that we are to
have good works. In Mark 16:17-18 Jesus said “these signs shall follow them that
believe. In My name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues.
They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt
them, they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”. This confirms what
Jesus said in John 14:12. We are to do the works that Jesus did, remember that
Jesus said this. Let us study the scriptures and see what Jesus did in His earthly
ministry, and know that we have the authority to do the same. Let us not just be
saved, waiting to go to heaven, but let’s rise up and do good works, as it tells us in
Psalms 82:6,8 “I have said, you are gods and all of you are children of the Most
High. Arise, o god, judge the earth, for you shall inherit all nations”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: June 22, 2007
