Graciously Justified Unto Good Works
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 8/12/2012 PM |
Text: | Ephesians 2:8-10; Lord's Day 24 |
Psalters: | 76, 378, 112, 311 |
- Their damnable unworthiness.
- There are two serious and prevalent errors at work concerning good works.
- First, human nature (sinful pride) always wants to say that good works merit something with God.
- The opposite error is Anti-nomianism: good works are always unnecessary and are almost an evil.
- The Reformed faith maintains that man?s works cannot and do not merit with God.
- First, God approves of only perfect righteousness which no child of Adam can ever do.
- Second, every work of every human does not and cannot accomplish or earn salvation.
- One, no human is sinless and our best works are ?as filthy rags? (Isaiah 64:6).
- Two, those who think that they can earn their way into heaven hear Jesus say, ?I never knew you? (Matt. 7:21-23).
- Three, even the perfect human (Adam before the fall) is only an unprofitable servant to God (Luke 17:7ff).
- There are two serious and prevalent errors at work concerning good works.
- The enemies of the Reformed charge us with living carelessly because we deny good works save.
- They say that if good works do not save, then believers will live carelessly and profane.
- One saved by grace (undeserved love) will never be careless and profane about his relationship to God.
- First, objectively true religion is to serve God.
- Second, faith is a living bond which unites one to Jesus.
- Third, the justified sinner is dead to sin (while the ungodly are alive to sin).
- One who receives such amazing love is humbled and renders grateful returns of ardent love.
- God so works salvation in us that it is unto good works (text).
- Grace does not mean that good works are unnecessary.
- God determines to reward our good works with a reward of grace, not one of merit.
- Scripture speaks of this kind of ?reward? many times.
- The Biblical word ?reward? does not conflict with salvation being by grace alone without works.
- Finally, God treats us as children (not slaves) and gives us wonderful incentives to encourage us in our godly walk.