God doesn’t need our good works,
but the world does. We have been freed from our need to repay God with good
works! There is no ‘debtors complex’ – paying God back for what He has done for
us.
Jesus wasn’t passive in His love
towards others. He changed villages and impacted towns! It came from a place of
total security and a love relationship with His Father. He knew he was loved
and secure. There was nothing he could do that would make His Father love him
more and there was nothing He could do that would make Him love Jesus less. He knew
He was His Father’s Beloved.
And we are loved like Jesus! And we
needn’t be passive in our love and serving of others either. The natural
outworking of God’s grace and security in our relationship is good works!
Christians were known as Christians for the first time in Antioch – it was
there fervency of love in action! They were a diverse people, a worshipping
people and a generous people. They were known in the community as a different
people; a peculiar people – a loving people. Their actions made an impact! Like
Jesus’ did.
When Christians say they are
Christians but there isn’t a visible overflow of love and action in their lives,
then there are some questions they should ask? Do you know how much you are
loved? Do you know that you are His Beloved? Do you know that He loves you 100%?
We are objects of love before we
are subjects who love. Our good works don’t establish our relationship with God
by any means, but they do communicate to whom we belong. Life after
justification does not eliminate good works, but it ‘horitzonalizes’ them.
Jesus said that men will know that we are His disciples because of our love for
one another. Christians love. Love in action. It’s an outworking from the
inside out!
He won’t love us when we become
better. He already loves us completely. Nothing we do can increase or decrease
His love for us. That’s who He is. And that’s exactly who is at work INSIDE of
us. And that love is going to work such magic inside of us that it expresses
itself through us in outrageous good works to the people around us where we’ll
love them as we’ve come to know God’s love for us.
Go forth! And have fun as you feed
your enemies, be kind to your boss and bless your unfriendly neighbours with the good works
prepared for you in advance!
