Do Your Good Works Come From God?
© 2018 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)
There is a great gulf which exists between God’s perfect holiness and the wickedness of fallen mankind. Only God’s infinite power can resolve this problem and provide salvation.
Early in fallen mankind’s history, God revealed that the coming Messiah would accomplish this incredible deliverance (see Genesis 3:1‑15). God the Son, Jesus Christ, fulfilled this when He offered Himself to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
Jesus made it clear that He is the only way of salvation.
“…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
Only Christ’s infinite sacrifice can bridge the infinite gap between wicked man and Holy God.
In spite of this, man’s religious systems seek to replace Christ’s sacrifice with man’s good works. This is an affront to God. If man could appease God by his own “good works,” the sacrifice of Christ’s precious blood would have been unnecessary. When man presumes to offer his own “good works” to appease God’s wrath, God views these works as “filthy rags.”
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6)
The Lord Jesus Christ told of a coming day when mankind would come before Him for judgment. Listen to Christ’s description of what many will say to Him.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:22‑23)
Notice that these people will be presenting their own “good works” in serving God as their reason for expecting mercy. However, only the finished sacrificial work of Christ is sufficient to procure God’s mercy for anyone. The attempt to earn God’s mercy by one’s own “good works” is a great wickedness. Such an attempt despises the finished work of Christ. Mercy only comes through faith in Christ’s finished work. Such faith comes only from God Himself.
“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:29)
Are you trusting your own “good works” or Christ’s infinite sacrifice?
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