My Religion is Good 4

Good Works  -  

So what delight can I take in my achievements?

Good works are anything that you believe is a benefit to yourself or other people.  Religions have their own set of "good works" which help insure that you receive favor from God and get into the Kingdom of God.  

What does God say regarding our own "good works"?  Is He impressed with our trying to get ourselves into heaven on our own ability?  Or does God have another way for us to enter the Kingdom of God?

God is simple and clear - To the man (and woman) who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his (and her) faith is credited as righteousness. Romans 4

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. Eph 2:8-10

If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about--but not before God.  (That means that no one has any works that can be boasted of in front of God, for He is completely Pure and Holy and nothing is so good that it compares to God.)

What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." That means that because Abraham put his trust and faith in God Almighty, and obeyed God, that made Abraham right with God.)

Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:        "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." …

It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed--the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness--for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Romans 4:1-25 ;Gen. 15:5,6; 17:5; Psalm 32:1,2

And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Rom 11:6 (If you are saved by the Lord Jesus Christ's Atonement, then you are saved by Grace, and Faith in God's Gift. If you trust your own works to get you into heaven, then you are not trusting in God's grace, and are thereby condemning yourself before God since everyone's works are as filthy rags to God.)

As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips." "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know." "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. Rom 3:10-19; Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20 Psalm 5:9 Psalm 140:3 Psalm 10:7 Isaiah 59:7,8 Psalm 36:1 .

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the One Who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Rom 3:21-31

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. … Romans 5:1-21

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. (So what do you use to build that will stand the test of God's fire? Use the Word of God, surrendering and obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ and move by the Holy Spirit's power.)  Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 1Cor 3:9-16

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2Cor 9:8

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10
being confident of this,
that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil 1:6

for it is God Who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. Phil 2:13

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Col 3:23,24

We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Thess 1:3

the Word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 1Thess 2:13

May the God of peace, Who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Heb 13:20,21

You see that his
faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. James 2:22

So what delight can I take in my achievements?  None.  However, you and I can delight in the mighty achievements, which the Lord God of the Universe has done for, through and in you!! 

I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD ; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.  Ps 71:16 

Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Ps 37:4 

O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever. 1 Chron. 16:34   Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.  Ps 34:8     

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.  Psalm 34:1          

But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.  Ps 73:28          

Great are the works of the LORD ; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Ps 111:2             

Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1Cor 1:31; Jer 9:24; 2Cor 10:17 (That means, boast, brag, witness, tell about what God has done through you, for you, to you and for His glory alone!!)

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
2Cor 11:30 (Therefore God will seem all the bigger, for mighty things He has and only He can do!!)

But He (God) said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2Cor 12:9

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Gal 6:14

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:8-10

        I need to be born of God's Spirit.  There is no way my "good works" will get me into the Kingdom of God.  Bring me to Prayer.

Bring me to My Religion is Good.

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