The Fruits of Good Works

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Psalm 106; Lord's Day 32
Psalters: 176, 267, 90, 251
  1. Why the fruits?
    1. Our good works flow naturally from the Holy Spirit's work of renewing us in Christ's image.
      1. Objectively we are united to Christ; it is the tie connecting the branch to the vine so the branch can produce good fruit.
      2. Subjectively, we love Christ, so we seek to show our love and to please Him.
    2. God saves us, not as an end in itself, but unto His glory and praise (I Cor. 6:20; I Peter 2:9).
      1. The chief reason for everything God does (including our salvation) is for the glory and praise of Himself.
      2. We are clothed with Christ's righteousness, not to roll in the mire of sin, but to show the glory of His name (Titus 2:14).
      3. God is honored when His creatures do what He says (Matt. 5:16; I Peter 2:12).
    3. Because our best works are spotted, they are acceptable to God only because Jesus washed them too.
  2. The chief motive and the chief purpose of good works is to thank God (Ps. 106:47; I Chron. 16:35).
    1. What is gratitude or thankfulness?
      1. In general, it is acknowledging the person from whom we have received benefits.
      2. Of what does Christian thankfulness consists?
    2. Thankfulness is a gift of God.
      1. Man’s nature is not thankful, willfully denying to see God as the Giver and to give Him praise and thanks (Rom. 1:21).
      2. The only way we can see the hand of the Giver is that God changes our heart and opens our eyes (Canons III,IV-11).
    3. Thankfulness is the expression of the experience of salvation.
      1. The joy of being forgiven and delivered moves the believer to fall down before Christ and give Him thanks (Luke 17:16).
      2. Free grace shows the proper perspective of good works.
  3. The other fruits of good works.
    1. By his good works the believer is benefitted by being assured that he has faith.
      1. To find in ourselves some desires not found in carnal men is proof of salvation.
      2. Therefore, those in whom good works are found must be saved.
    2. Also others are gained to Christ by our godly conversation (Luke 22:32; I Peter 3:1).
      1. First, realize that the gain is Christ's, not ours nor (first) our neighbors.
      2. God is pleased to use our good works as an example of faith and gratitude to lead others to Christ.
      3. When our life shows salvation, then we are most effective witnesses and we arouse the interest of others.