Good Works!

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!