When I was first saved in the spring of 1987 at the ripe old age of 36, everything changed. Life was almost electric with joy, hope, and anticipation of Christ’s work in me.
Immersing myself in the Word of God, I was amazed to read over and over the enormous role of works and deeds in the true Christian’s life.
Combined with the fact that we’re commanded to be striving to enter into the narrow gate of final salvation, I was elated to be able to give back to God a measure of what He had given: His all.
Imagine my supreme disappointment when several cheap grace-sloppy agape folks chided me for even mentioning the doctrine of works and deeds…let alone teaching it! But, I protested, the Bible is replete with passages to that effect. No matter, they said. To do was to display a “religious spirit,” they confidently and smugly stated. It was akin to the ancient Gnostics who arrogantly asserted they had the higher knowledge that only their group would obtain.
I shrunk back for a time, bore down with the Lord on the truth, and determined I would have little to nothing to do with these types of stonewallers. But I remained incredulous at this apparent lack of basic discernment of the Word. It may have been a result of their embrace of the new Trinity, along with following the baby manger Jesus.
I also began to wonder who really had the religious spirit.
What about the Lord Himself?
The Lord Jesus Himself made this bold declaration during His teaching by the sea in Matthew 5-7, the greatest corpus of teaching in His entire ministry. Moreover, it’s the manifesto of holy living for any little messiah/Christ, the Christian.
Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
We’re also fully aware that God Himself from eternity past is a worker. And He “rests” too when done!
Genesis 2:2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.
We know that our works prior to our initial salvation have no role in it. Zero.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
And yet the verse immediately following is often omitted to know the full context…and the supreme role of works in our fruitful lives.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Now then, we’re confident we’re protected by the power of God, but it’s made efficacious by our active, striving, works-based faith. They work hand-in-glove.
1 Peter 1:5 …who are protected by the power of God through (our active, striving, works-based) faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
What’s the main word used?
Let’s take a closer but albeit brief look at this most fascinating doctrine and crucial part of our life in Christ. We begin with the most prolific word in the biblical record that describes this role.
That Greek word is ergon, where we get our modern concept of ergonomics, or the study of people’s efficiency in their working environment. It’s rendered in many English words and used over 165 times. That’s an impressive amount for a term that’s mostly dismissed in most modern western religious culture.
Greek Word: ergon, from a primitive verb etês erdô (to do); definition: work – List of English Words and Number of Times Used: action (1), behavior (1), deed (13), deeds (52), doing (1), effectual (1), labor (1), result (1), task (1), what…done (1), work (34), works (62).
We highly recommend you and your assembly closely study and meditate on all the uses in at least the New Testament. Below is a short list of about a dozen and a half. Let us know your favorites too!
Matthew 11:19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
Mark 14:6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me.
Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed
John 5:20 “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.
John 14:10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.
Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.
Acts 26:20 …but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
Romans 2:5-11 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:
to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
1 Corinthians 16:10 Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am.
Galatians 6:4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.
Colossians 1:10 …so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…
2 Timothy 2:21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
Titus 2:7 …in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified…
Titus 2:13-14 …looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
Titus 3:8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.
James 2:17-18 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
1 Peter 2:12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
Pretty interesting, no? Look at all 165+ and you’ll never again say that works-deeds is of little to no importance to God and His kingdom.
How clever of Satan to take the most vital evidence of a living and vibrant faith of works in Jesus Christ and make it of no account in modern western Christianity. What a brilliant scheme of the devil. Indeed. But we’re not ignorant of his schemes.
2 Corinthians 2:11 …so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
Christ’s warning and exhortation to His assemblies
We leave you for now with this cryptic admonishment from Christ Himself to His seven church assemblies in Revelation 2-3. This Word of warning to the seven assemblies is given in geographical clockwise order.
Why would the King of kings leave us with such a piece before His final return, the Great Day of the Lord? What do they say to you?
Ephesus: repent…or else
Revelation 2:1-2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:
‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false…Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent…
Smyrna: overcome to escape the second death
Revelation 2:8, 11 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this…He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’
Pergamum: repent…or else
Revelation 2:12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this… Revelation 2:16 ‘Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth…”
Thyatira: keep deeds until the end of time
Revelation 2:18-19, 26 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first…He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS…’
Sardis: overcome to keep from being erased from the book of life
Revelation 3:1, 5 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead…’He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Philadelphia: I know your deeds
Revelation 3:7-8 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
Laodicea: repent or get vomited out of Jesus’ mouth
Revelation 3:14-16, 19 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this…’I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent…’
Maranatha, our Lord Jesus.
Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.
Your friend and brother in fighting the good fight,
Marc
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Saints, we’re one day closer to Home, and Him! Love Him wholeheartedly!
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Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.
Marc White, Director, Walk Worthy Ministries, www.WalkWorthy.org
Kathie says
Thank you. A WORK in His name and to His Glory.
jesusislord says
Dear sister…
Yes indeed…amen.
Brother Marc