THERE are many people who think that if ever they are to be saved and get to heaven it will have to be by their own works.
This being a matter of such great importance, I felt led to examine what the Bible has to say upon it, for clearly we know nothing about these things, apart from what God has been pleased to make known.
I was surprised to find what a number of different kinds of works we read of in the Scriptures.
1. In the first place there are
“Wicked works.”
What are these? And can any hope to be saved thereby?
This verse shows us the terrible state we all are in by reason of sin. We are alienated from God―we are enemies in our minds―and we are guilty of wicked works.
But, oh! what amazing grace! The good news of God’s love tells us how enemies may be reconciled, and how guilty sinners may be pardoned. And how? Is it by works that the sinner can perform? Nay, verily, but “in the body of His flesh through death.” In other words, Christ had to die that we might be reconciled to God―His precious blood had to be shed that our sins, that is, our wicked works, might be cleansed.
2. In the second place, we read of
“Works of righteousness which we have done.”
Some may say, clearly our wicked works cannot save us, but surely our works of righteousness can do something towards it. But what says the Scripture?
Salvation is not on the ground of man’s meritorious works, but of God’s free and sovereign mercy. He regenerates the soul through the action of His own Word in the renewing power of the Holy Ghost, and all this He does according to His abundant mercy through Jesus Christ our Saviour. We cannot save ourselves by any works of our own, be they wicked or righteous, and hence it is that God has provided a Saviour in the person of His own beloved Son.
3. But now we read of
“Works of law.”
The whole legal system with its rites, and ceremonies, and religious observances is here proved to be valueless in the matter of justifying the guilty sinner. This, in God’s eyes, is a matter of such stupendous importance that three times over in this one verse He sounds in our ears the truth so astonishing to the human heart that justification is impossible by works of law.
How, then, can a sinner be justified? Three times over does this same verse tell us that it is by faith in Jesus Christ.
4. But now we come to
“Dead works.”
What are these?
This again shows us how unavailing is the whole ritual system in the matter of salvation.
Under the Jewish system, which had been established by God Himself, there were many ordinances which pertained to meats and drinks and diverse washings. There were sacrifices of goats and calves and bullocks. But all these things were “carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation.” That is to say, until Christ came, until He offered Himself in sacrifice to God, until His precious blood was shed by which He obtained eternal redemption, all these things were imposed upon the Jews for their observance; they were carnal or fleshly ordinances, and rites and ceremonies. But they are not needed now, for they were but shadows, and in Christ we have the substance. All these things are dead works whether performed by Jews or professed Christians. They have no soul-saving virtue in them.
5. But are there no such things as
“Good works”?
Yes, there are, but who is it that can perform them? For an answer to this question we must turn to the “good works” epistle. Does the reader know which epistle this is? It is the Epistle to Titus. In this epistle of three short chapters we hear six times about “good works.”
In chapter 1:15, 16, we are told that unbelievers are utterly incapable of performing good works.
Some people think that prayers and fastings and other deeds are good works, but this is not the case. All such things, if relied on for salvation, are dead works. The unbeliever is “unto every good work reprobate.”
But Titus was a believer; he was Paul’s son in the faith, and he was exhorted in all things to show himself a pattern of good works (2:7).
Then those to whom God’s saving grace has been made known through Jesus Christ are told to be zealous of good works (chap. 2:14), they are also told to be ready to every good work (chap. 3:1). And lest any should imagine that good works are what unbelievers can perform, or that true believers may be negligent in these things, the Spirit of God exhorts in these words:
And finally, the whole family of God is urged to maintain good works (chap. 3:14).
Surely this is the epistle of good works, and teaches us most clearly, on the one hand, that unbelievers cannot perform them, and on the other that believers can and must.
I cannot close this article without drawing the reader’s attention to the great atoning work of the Son of God upon the cross. In view of that stupendous moment in the world’s history, the great center of the ages when the peerless, spotless Lamb of God was offered in sacrifice for man’s sin in view of that moment and in anticipation of the mighty transaction there to be done, the blessed Saviour exclaimed in prayer to His Father―
Here, then, is the firm foundation upon which salvation rests.
“Here we have a firm foundation,
Here’s the refuge of the lost;
Christ’s the rock of our salvation,
His the name of which we boast.”
What are all the sinner’s paltry works compared to His, the Maker and Monarch of all, who being God, became a man that He might die and suffer for His creatures’ sins, and who, extended on the cross of shame, endured in those three hours of darkness what no human eye could witness, what no human ear might hear, and what no human thought could measure―and then gave up the ghost when He had cried―
It is finished!
And He is risen from the dead!
A. H. B.