THEMES
FOR THE WEEK:
By
Trevor Davis
www.soundingthealarm.com
March 6, 2011
1.
Works of God vs works of man: Understand the difference
From
the Kingdom of God perspective, everything we do and are should be an
expression of the activity and life of God from within us. Our own
flesh or self-centered agendas are external to the Kingdom of God. We
are to come unto Jesus, pick up our cross, deny ourselves and follow
the Lord.
In John 3 Jesus explained that those who are not of God
will not come to the light because their deeds are evil. If they were
to come to the light, their deeds would be exposed that they are not
of God. However, those who are born of God come to the light that
THEIR DEEDS MAY BE MANIFEST THAT THEY ARE WROUGHT IN GOD.
Paul
speaking about the gift of salvation by grace through faith, not of
works, but is the gift of God states that we are created unto good
works that we should walk in them. It actually states that God has
ordained the works. These are the works of God. The works of God are
those He initiates and we yield and comply by faith and obedience.
This is acceptable to God. But works of our own flesh are works that
are not of faith. They are sin. We are to repent of our dead works
and have faith in God. This is basic foundational truth in the
faith.
Ephesians 2:
7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his
grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace
are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God
hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
John 3:19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Paul makes it clear in Romans 4 that the blessed man is one that “worketh not”. Romans 4: 4Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
All scriptural truth can be understood as the strait and narrow truth in Jesus Christ. It is centered and narrow. Anything to the left or to the right are false extremes.
James the apostle makes
it clear that to say you have faith and have not works is also wrong.
Is there a contradiction? No. The Holy Spirit is teaching us that we
are to have works of God that are wrought by God through faith, not
our flesh. And, our faith is demonstrated by works as Abraham's works
expressed his faith. But faith without works is dead.
James
2: 14What
doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have
not works? can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister be naked, and
destitute of daily food, 16And one of you say unto them, Depart in
peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not
those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18Yea, a
man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith
without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works
Ponder on this very important truth from the scripture.