By Your Good Works!

A friend pointed out to me that the Scripture in Philippians 2:12 says, that it is necessary to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”  He understands this to mean we must work hard to do all that God would have us do so we will be acceptable when our soul goes into eternity.

He hasn’t understood that Paul the apostle is saying, ‘it is because our sins have been forgiven by the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross of Calvary, that we desire to show our thankfulness by good works.’  God’s Spirit within a person, is the driving force glorifying God, after he or she has requested forgiveness, and received it.  The Bible tells us, “It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure, that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” -Colossians 1:10

If a person does good works to make himself acceptable to God, then he or she is attempting to glorify himself rather than God.  God tells us in His Scriptures, that we were made to glorify Him.... “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” -Ephesians. 2:10.  We are to praise Him, as given in Psalm 50:23, which says, “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me.” We are to glorify Him, as in 1 Cor.10:31, where we are admonished, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”  And it is in humility that one works for God, for the Scripture instructs us saying,  “What doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” -Micah 6:9.

As for doing good things to gain favour with God, the Scripture tells us, “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” -Isaiah. 64:6.  “The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression.” -Ezekiel. 7:19  “A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”- Romans 3:28.  Jesus told us, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death to life.” -John 5: 24.  We are advised that, it is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy that He saved us.” -Titus 3:5.

Our good works are meant to glorify our Father in Heaven.  Scripture says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” -Matthew. 5:14.  To do good works to make oneself acceptable to God, it is only an act to glorify one’s own self, and not God.

The parable of the prodigal son is a picture of the forgiveness a father has for his wayward son, who is welcomed upon his return home.  It’s a lesson about what it will be like when God the Father in Heaven welcomes us into our eternal home.  Jesus calls us His brothers and sisters, and members of God’s family.  As wayward as we are in our lives, when we call upon our Heavenly Father to accept us into His family, He will do it without question, never thinking to cast us off for not having earned our way back.  We are accepted “In the Beloved,” as any loving father would accept his own child, forgetting his or her inadequacies.  The “Beloved” is Jesus, considered to be our brother, when God is our Father.