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A Message From Peter James
 


 

Works
 


      

The area of ‘works’ is one which generates a great deal of confusion.

It permeates every church group.

Many twist and distort scriptures, and some even want to disregard

certain books of the bible. Behind some of the reasoning there is the

question of ’works’.

 

We will just write a brief document to consolidate what we have been

saying for some time.

 

In the letters to the churches in the book of Revelation Chapters 2 & 3,

we see that Christ mentions ‘works’ in the letter to each church.

Christ says to them I know ‘thy works’.

 

The problem which we have is that our works are just as unacceptable

as our righteouness.

 

Isaiah 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;

and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

 

The idea that when one is born again we should start behaving differently

in our own strength is simply not true. In fact many of the things which

human beings are called to do as a Christian are completely outside our capability.

It requires Christ as the Holy Spirit in us to transform us.

We cannot transform ourselves and become perfect without spot and blemish,

no matter how much we try.

It will never happen.

 

Obedience and love are closely linked whether you go to the Old Testament

or the New Testament.

 

Deuteronomy 11:1  Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge,

and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

Deuteronomy 11:22  For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command

you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;

 

John 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

 

This is the whole point, the works we do are the ones which we are commanded.

Obeying shows that we truly love the Eternal God.

 

The question then is what is our part in our transformation?

Our part is to obey the Eternal’s written word and what He tells

us and prompts us as individuals.

It is wrong to say that the Eternal God does not speak to His children today.

He does as any parent does. He speaks to us and prompts us.

The reality is that we often choose not to obey even when we hear.

We prefer to do our own works.

 

Our works need to be the works of the Eternal.

We can think that this is doing some sort of outreach, but it is simply

whatever the Eternal God tells us to do.

 

King Nebuchadnezzar was sent to punish God’s nation Israel and the Eternal

rewarded him as his servant.

 

Jeremiah 27:6  And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar

the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him

also to serve him.

 

King Cyrus another gentile king carried out God’s works.

 

2 Chronicles36:23  Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath

the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem,

which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people?

The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

 

You can read more of the detail in the book of Ezra, here as some excerpts.

 

Isaiah 44:24  Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb,

I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone;

that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Isaiah 44:28  That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure:

even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple,

Thy foundation shall be laid.

 

Isaiah 45:1  Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden,

to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings,

to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

 

I wonder.

Would the Eternal God say to some calling themselves ‘Christians’,

the wonderful things, which He said about the Gentile Cyrus?

 

The difference is that he was obedient whereas we tend to be rebellious.

 

The church in Thyatira is told

 

Revelation 2:26 ‘…. I will give unto every one of you

according to your works’. We can be certain that this also applies to all of us.

 

We see this greatly expanded in the following verse.

 

Revelation 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death

and hell delivered up the dead which were in them:

and they were judged every man according to their works.

 

It is exceedingly important to understand that none of our works

gain us salvation. Therefore it is absolutely correct when we are told

that Salvation is a Gift, a matter of Grace, Faith, and Belief without works.

But it does not mean that the indwelling Holy Spirit will not perform

the works of the Father in and through us, because He will.

 

There is no contradiction whatsoever in what I am saying.

It is rather a matter of understanding what and whose works,

as a converted person, we should be doing.

 

James 2:26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

John 14:10  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?

the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me,

he doeth the works.

 

John 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall

he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

 

There are many atheists and witches doing what many would qualify as good works.

In view of the above you have to ask yourself, do these deeds qualify as

works which are acceptable to the Eternal God?

 

The church in Thyatira makes it clear for us: 

 

Revelation 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end,

to him will I give power over the nations:

 

This is the crux of the matter we have to be keeping the works of God.

Nothing else will do.

 

The only way out of our dilemmas is Jesus Christ.

         He is the only way of escape.

                 Praise the Lord.

          Come soon Lord Jesus.

                         Amen.

    

 

 Messages By Peter James

(Bible Explanations, Messages of Life, Hope & Encouragement)