The Confession on Good Works

"All our righteousnesses are like filthy rags."

"Apart from me you can do nothing."

"It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

Apart from God, all we do is create messes. With the best of intentions and the highest of aspirations we succeed only in making mud pies. The ability to do truly good works, like faith and repentance, is an evangelical grace and the fruit of regeneration, the new life in Christ. Because good works are a fruit of regeneration they are expected; their absence is an aberration and grounds for inspecting the spiritual health of the individual Christian professor. This is not to say that all Christians will do the same amount and quality of works--clearly this is also tied to opportunity and gifting, among other things. But if a cup of cold water offered in the name of Christ is worthy of our Lord's praise it would seem there are few obstacles to service for any of us.

Tomorrow: The perseverance of the Christian.