Engage in Good Deeds!

It seems that a huge problem in evangelicalism today (beginning with my own heart) is the appearance of doctrinal understanding without the accompaniment of works of love. We rightfully cling desperately to the doctrine of "justification by faith [alone] apart from works" (Rom. 3:28), but in reacting to those who believe works play a role in salvation, we place far too little importance on them.

Paul understands this tension and warns a young pastor he left in charge of a church in Crete named Titus. Paul tells Titus that Jesus "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 2:14).

Do we get that? Jesus came to redeem us from our rebellious independence. We lived without regard for His Word and with absolutely no power to obey it even if we read it. He set us free, breathing the purifying life of His Spirit into us, and as a result, a defining characteristic of our lives should be that we are eagerly desiring to engage in acts of love and sacrifice!

Paul continues to instruct Titus concerning works:

"Remind [people of all ages within the church] ... to be ready for every good deed" (3:1).

"God saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit" (3:5).

"Concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believe God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good a profitable for all men" (3:8).

A couple of quick observations:

1) We have to be ready for them. God has prepared good works for each of us to walk in before we were ever born. Lets pray that God would make us ready by opening our eyes to see the works He's prepared for us.

2) These works have no role in our salvation. We were saved because God is merciful. We continue in that salvation in the same way, walking "by the washing of water with the Word" and by the power of His Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:26; Gal. 3:2-3; 5:16).

3) The knowledge of that salvation, that God has justified us as a free gift of His grace, frees us and enables us to engage in good deeds. So we engage in good works, not out of guilty obligation, but out of hearts that are free to pursue Jesus with joy and are empowered by His Holy Spirit to obey Him in loving and serving others!

4) It requires care. Paul instructs Titus to warn his people to be careful to engage in good deeds, because the only thing that the devil would love more than keeping us distracted from the need to engage in good works is making us feel like they will happen naturally and that no attention to them is necessary.

Works do not make us righteous; that is clear. They are the overflow of the Holy Spirit inside of us. If He lives in us, He will will point out works that He's prepared for us to walk in and empower us to do them. As such, good works are a thermometer of our spiritual condition. They function like fruit - telling us if we are, in fact, children of God, and if so, how healthy we are. Jesus can't help but engage in good deeds. If He's living inside of us, what should our lives look like?

Praying for greater surrender to His indwelling life,

Ben