To keep any possible slander and malice down to a minimum - I will repeat what I believe about "good works" for at the very least the 20th time. I see that people are "still" mis-representing what is being said.
I have come to accept this will continue but perhaps this will help new viewers of the thread to grow in their dependence on Christ in them for life and living. He is our life! Col. 3:3.
Resting in Christ and works? What does it mean to enter into the rest of Christ? Does this mean we do nothing?
I don't chafe at the term "our doing". We do participate in what God is doing in and through us.
For it is God who is at work in us - both to will and to do of His good pleasure. He gives us both the desire and the capability. Phil. 2:13
What I would chafe at is the notion that we put "the doing" from ourselves by self-effort and not from the life of Christ in us. It's all a matter of where this "work originates" from - our flesh or from our inner man in Christ.
Outwardly they can look the same. I know that only God that looks on our heart can answer that question but it is subtle difference between works-based righteousness and faith-based righteousness.
Another term I use a lot that may throw some off is that I say we are to "rest" in the finished work of Christ. The word "rest" can bring the connotations to our natural humanistic minds that we do nothing which is not the truth. It's the exact opposite.
I won't speak for the others but as far as works go from a believer in Christ - here is what I believe when considering John Chapter 15 and the "works" of a believer.
Jesus is the Vine - we are the branches. The branch bears fruit..it does not produce it.
Without Him we can do nothing. We are to remain/abide/rest in the Lord - abide/remain/rest in the Lord and what He has done for us in His finished work. John 15
The life of the Vine supplies the "sap" needed for the bearing of fruit but it is His fruit that is produced in us.
Resting/remaining/abiding in the Lord is not a lazy passive existence. When we know that God has already provided everything we need and we access His wisdom, provision, strength by faith - we'll be governed by the Holy Spirit in a highly strategic and active life.
Resting/remaining/abiding in the Lord is not an inactive lifestyle. It's a Spirit-led lifestyle where we flow in His good works ( His fruit bearing in us ) that God had planned for us all along.
Resting/remaining/abiding in the Lord is our obedience in action.
Resting/remaining/abiding in the Lord is our spiritual warfare.
Resting/remaining/abiding in the Lord is our faith in action.
Hebrews 4:10-11 (NASB)
[SUP]10 [/SUP] For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.
[SUP]11 [/SUP] Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.
There is a vast difference between "us" doing things by the flesh and the Lord doing things through and in us. ( there is good looking flesh and bad looking flesh - but it is all still flesh )
We can do things in our own flesh like Abraham tried to fulfill the will of God by creating an Ishmael or wait for the Lord to work through us to produce the child of promise - Isaac. Galatians 4:22-24, 30
Psalm 127:1 (NASB)
Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.
Notice that both groups were "building the house."
“What I would chafe at is the notion that we put "the doing" from ourselves by self-effort and not from the life of Christ in us. It's all a matter of where this "work originates" from - our flesh or from our inner man in Christ.”
INTERESTING...
IT”S REALLY CONFUSING THAT WHILE THESE PEOPLE TEACHES ABOUT CHRIST LIVING IN US(john 14:23,gal2:20) ÀND WORKING IN AND THROUGH US( phil 2:13), THEY THEMSELVES REJECT THOSE SAME WORKS DONE IN AND THROUGH US AND SAY THAT THEY ARE JUST DEAD WORKS OR OF THE FLESH. A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE IS HOW THEY CONSIDER james 1:27 AS DEAD WORKS AND THAT OBEDIENCE TO GOD ARE JUST WORKS AND COULD NOT SAVE US.
IF THESE WERE TRUE THEN, A BELIEVER WHO RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT TO DWELL IN HIM, IF HE OBEYS GOD’S COMMANDS, HE IS DOING IT BY HIS OWN EFFORT AND IT CANNOT SAVE HIM BECAUSE “faith alone saves.”
THEREFORE, THE BELIEVER WHO CAN ONLY DO OR OBEY THE THINGS OF GOD THRU THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN DO “GOOD WORKS” OR “WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” BUT STILL NOT BE TRULY SAVED SINCE THESE WORKS ARE DEAD WORKS AND THOSE WORKS DO NOT SAVE.
ON THE OTHER HAND IF I AM A BELIEVER WHO RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT JUST LIKE THE ONE MENTIONED EARLIER, EVEN IF I SIN, I WILL NOT BE CONDEMNED BECAUSE I AM ETERNALLY SECURED OR “OSAS”.
AND WHAT IS THEIR CONCLUSION?
“YOU ARE SAVED ETERNALLY THRU FAITH ALONE” AND THIS IS NOT BY ANY SORT OF GOOD WORKS OR RIGHTEOUSNESS A BELIEVER HAS DONE.
ISN’T THIS A MOCKERY TO GOD THAT AFTER CLAIMING TO BE SAVED THRU FAITH AND IS NOW LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF TRUTH WORKING IN AND THRU US, THAT THESE GOOD WORKS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS CANNOT SAVE US, BUT EVEN THOUGH IF WE SIN, WE ARE ETERNALLY SAVED THRU FAITH ALONE.
Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
ONLY THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WOULD DECLARE THAT OBEDIENCE TO GOD AND WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS ARE NOT NECESSARY FOR SALVATION.
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Hebrews 5:8-9 Although he was a son, he learned OBEDIENCE from what he suffered and, once made PERFECT, he became the source of ETERNAL SALVATION FOR ALL WHO OBEY HIM.
James 2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and NOT BY FAITH ALONE.
Malachi 3:18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.