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you've given to us. We thank 
you for waking us up on this day that we could cast our eyes 
upon the beauty of your creation, that we can gather together as 
the people of Christ in this place to study doctrine, to study 
your truth, and to in the next hour come and worship you in 
spirit and in truth. And we do just pray that you 
bless our time now. Help us, Lord God, to love our 
God, to love our Christ, and to love the doctrine of our blessed 
Savior. And we pray in His most precious 
name, amen. We can turn in your confessions 
to chapter 16. If you need one, you can put 
your hand up and someone can maybe come and bring you one. 
Everybody has one? Excellent. So chapter 16, we're now in the 
chapter of good works. And I'll read all seven paragraphs. So chapter 16 of good works. 
Good works are only such as God hath commanded in His holy word, 
and not such as without the warrant thereof are devised by men out 
of blind zeal or upon any pretense of good intentions. These good 
works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits 
and evidences of a true and lively faith, and by them believers 
manifest their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, edify 
their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel, stop the mouths 
of adversaries, and glorify God, whose workmanship they are created 
in Christ Jesus thereunto, that having their fruit unto holiness 
they may have the end eternal life. Their ability to do good 
works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of 
Christ, and that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the 
graces they have already received, there is necessary an actual 
influence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to will and to 
do of His good pleasure. Yet they are not hereupon to 
grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty, 
unless upon a special motion of the Spirit, but they ought 
to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them. 
They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which 
is possible in this life are so far from being able to supererogate 
and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much 
which in duty they are bound to do. We cannot, by our best 
works, merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God, 
by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the 
glory to come, and the infinite distance that is between us and 
God, whom by them we can neither profit nor satisfy for the debt 
of our former sins. But when we have done all we 
can, we have done but our duty and are unprofitable servants. 
And because as they are good, they proceed from His Spirit, 
and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled and mixed with 
so much weakness and imperfection that they cannot endure the severity 
of God's punishment. Yet notwithstanding the persons 
of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also 
are accepted in Him, not as though they were in this life wholly 
unblameable and unreprovable in God's sight, but that He, 
looking upon them in His Son, is pleased to accept and reward 
that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses 
and imperfections. Works done by unregenerate men, 
although for the matter of them they may be things which God 
commands, and of good use both to themselves and others, yet 
because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith, nor 
are done in a right manner according to the word, nor to a right end, 
the glory of God, they are therefore sinful and cannot please God, 
nor make a man meet to receive grace from God, and yet their 
neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing to God. Amen. Well, just briefly, a comment 
on the role of good works in historical Protestant and Reformed 
Christianity. We come to an important chapter. 
All of the chapters are important. But we come to an important chapter, 
important because of the role of good works as it's been declared, 
as it's been proclaimed, as it's been taught throughout the history 
of the Christian church. Specifically as it's come against 
assaults to the doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. And so it's an important doctrine. 
And right from the outset, we might want to note the blessed 
start of paragraph 5. We cannot, by our best works, 
merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God. Blessed 
because we know it is Christ alone. who has done the work 
necessary for salvation. Blessed because we know that 
we are not under the heavy-handed arm of a despot who calls us 
to meet to things that we can never come to fulfill, but rather 
a blessed God who, by His grace, enables us, having saved us, 
to bear those fruits and evidences of a lively faith unto His glory 
and for the honor of Christ. Just a few things by way of introduction. to this point of the role of 
good works in historical Protestant and Reformed Christianity. The 
Augsburg, actually first off Martin Luther, so I just want 
to draw a quick 1 minute and 47 second progression through 
the history of the Protestant declaration of the doctrine of 
good works. Martin Luther in his opposition 
to the Roman Catholic Church in the early 16th century, wrote, 
we will always affirm with Paul that either Christ died in vain 
or else the law cannot justify us. But Christ did not suffer 
and die in vain. Hence, the law does not justify. If my salvation was so difficult 
to accomplish that it necessitated the death of Christ, then all 
my works, all the righteousness of the law, are good for nothing. 
How can I buy for a penny what costs a million dollars? The 
law is a penny's worth when you compare it with Christ. Should 
I be so stupid as to reject the righteousness of Christ, which 
cost me nothing, and slave like a fool to achieve the righteousness 
of the law which God disdains? Everyone who seeks righteousness 
without Christ, either by works, merits, satisfactions, actions, 
or by the law, rejects the grace of God and despises the death 
of Christ. the Augsburg Confession, which 
comes before what I'm going to read next, and that is the Wicked 
Declaration of the Council of Trent by the Roman Catholic Church, 
the Augsburg Confession writes this, or those who composed it 
wrote this, also they, that is the Protestant churches, also 
they, teach that this faith is bound to bring forth good fruits 
and that it is necessary to do works commanded by God because 
of God's will, but that we should not rely on those works to merit 
justification before God. For remission of sins and justification 
is apprehended by faith, as also the voice of Christ attests, 
when ye shall have done all these things, say, we are unprofitable 
servants." Luke 17.10. The same is also taught by the 
fathers. For Ambrose says, it is ordained 
of God that he who believes in Christ is saved, freely receiving 
remission of sins, without works, by faith alone. So, the Roman 
Catholic Church comes along in that same century, after Luther, 
and after the Augsburg Confession, so therefore, with a new doctrine, 
and a new declaration of faith, which is wicked, as we'll read, 
if anyone saith that the justice received is not preserved, and 
also increased before God, through good works, but that the said 
works are merely the fruits and signs of justification obtained, 
but not a cause of the increase thereof, let him be anathema." 
So, the Roman Catholic Church anathematizes, or, you know, 
sets aside to eternal damnation Protestants who believe the biblical 
revelation that were justified by grace alone through faith 
alone in Christ alone. And they anathematize anyone 
who says, like we do in our confession, from the biblical data, that 
good works are the fruits and evidences of a lively faith. 
And so as we study this doctrine here, we are to understand the 
Bible reveals, as our confession declares, being theological conclusions 
from the Bible, that good works do not justify us, but rather, 
having been saved, they are fruits and evidences. So let's have 
a look first at, just very briefly, the way the Confession breaks 
down all seven paragraphs, if you're interested in what they 
bear out as far as an outline. Paragraph 1. The Acceptable Scope 
of Good Works. Paragraph 2, The Nature, Purpose, 
and Culmination of Good Works. Paragraph 3, The Power Behind 
and In Good Works. Paragraph 4, The Believers' Shortcoming 
in Performing Good Works. Paragraph 5, The Value of Good 
Works Relative to Divine Justice. Paragraph 6, Christological Exclusivity 
in the Divine Acceptance of Good Works. and paragraph seven, the 
character of unregenerate works. Now, we're not going to go through 
all seven paragraphs, but we will treat some information from 
all seven of them. The study this morning will just 
work through five things. First, the definition of good 
works. Secondly, the necessary foundation of good works. Thirdly, 
the non-meritorious nature of good works. Fourthly, the acceptability 
of good works through the mediator. And fifthly, the purpose of good 
works. So having spent 14 and a half 
minutes, we're now at the point where we're getting into the 
study of good works. So notice, first off, the definition 
of good works. And we want to note three things 
here. First, the substance of good works. So what is the substance 
of good works? Well, we see it brought out in 
paragraphs one and two. Notice, good works are only such 
as God hath commanded in his holy word, and then in paragraph 
two, these good works done in obedience to God's commandments. So that is the substance of good 
works, or the definition of good works, those things that are 
done in obedience to God's commandments. The Westminster Shorter Catechism 
asks the question, Question 39, what is the duty which God requireth 
of man? The duty which God requireth 
of man is obedience to his revealed will. What did God, question 
40, at first reveal to man for this rule of his obedience? The 
rule which God first revealed to man for his obedience was 
the moral law, and then that moral law is contained in the 
Ten Commandments. So the substance of good works 
is the doing of or the engaging in obedience to God's commandments. And notice some of the connection 
to other parts in the confession here at this point. For the language 
from paragraph one, good works are only such as God has commanded 
in His holy word. In Paragraph two of chapter two 
on of God and of the Holy Trinity, we read at the end of the chapter, 
to him is due from angels and men whatsoever worship, service, 
or obedience as creatures they owe unto the creator and whatever 
he is further pleased to require of them. So here we see a connection 
to the doctrine of God with respect to the doctrine of good works. 
Creatures owe unto their Creator obedience and whatever He is 
further pleased to require of them. So what's probably in view 
there is the fact that creatures are to render obedience to God 
insofar as we are to obey His moral law, and then those positive 
precepts that He gives us in the Old and New Covenants, in 
the New Covenants such as baptism in the Lord's Supper and those 
sorts of things. But the point is, God has commanded 
us in His Holy Word to do such things that we are to obey. And when we talk about works 
and obedience, we are to understand that when we talk about obedience, 
it's a joyful obedience. It's a cheerful compliance. Very 
often, while today in our modern landscape, the word obedience 
can sometimes be frowned upon and looked at with a furrowed 
brow. But as Christians, we understand 
that obedience, it's a blessed obedience. It's a joyful obedience. Christ having freed us unto obedience 
to the law, we realize that exercising good works as fruits and evidences 
of a blessed justification, we are doing those things in a cheerful 
and a joyful compliance to the God who called us out of darkness 
and into his marvelous light. So good works are such as God 
has commanded in his holy word. You can make a note that chapter 
one, paragraph one speaks to the same with regards to the 
utility of the scriptures in that they reveal what is to be 
obeyed by God. Christians by man. Negatively, 
note that, we'll also make a note that chapter 19 and paragraph 
2 speaks of our duty towards God, our duty to man, and the 
obligation to the moral law. Again, not as a covenant of works, 
whereby to be justified or condemned, but as those things that we do 
as fruits and evidences of a lively faith. Negatively, notice what 
the Confession says, though, at the point of the substance 
of good works, and what the definition is. In paragraph 1, it says, 
Not such, as without the warrant thereof, are devised by men out 
of blind zeal, or upon any pretense of good intentions. So it's important 
that we understand that a definition of good works are not, you know, 
precepts that we devise out of, you know, the madness of our 
own hearts. It's not something that we subjectively contrive 
out of our own minds, even as Christians, because we are replete 
with weakness. We are replete still with a remaining 
corruption, not a reigning sin, but a remaining corruption. And 
so our devisings are not to be seen as the foundation of good 
works. It is the revealed will of God in His Holy Scripture. 
And so blind zeal and the pretense of good intentions are not from 
which, or a fount from which, good works are to spring. We 
can note with regards to blind zeal some examples in the Scriptures. 
Peter, in his preaching on Solomon's portico, uses the language whom 
ye delivered up when speaking to the unbelieving Jews regarding 
Jesus Christ. And Thomas Manton notes here, 
the priests delivered Christ up for envy, Judas for gain, 
the people in blind zeal, and Pilate to keep up his esteem 
among the Jews. So we see blind zeal by the people, 
you know, thinking in the madness of their perversion, total depravity 
and wickedness and sin, that they were somehow doing a good 
act in delivering Christ up to crucifixion. We're not, of course, 
doing that in obedience to the will of God, but out of the madness 
of blind zeal and the perversion of a sinful heart. Paul in Galatians 
1, 11-17, you can turn there quickly. Paul in the book of 
Galatians speaks to the matter of Blind Zeal, and it's during 
the delivery of his own autobiography. So in Galatians 1 at verse 11, 
But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached 
by me is not according to man, for I neither received it from 
man nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation 
of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former 
conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure 
and tried to destroy it. and I advanced in Judaism beyond 
many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly 
zealous for the traditions of my fathers." There we see the 
blind zeal that Paul operated by before God brought him out 
of the darkness of his sin to light in Christ. Notice the post-conversion 
reality here. So Paul had beforehand operated according 
to the madness of a blind zeal, thinking that he was doing good 
works, having been converted then and brought to Christ by 
amazing and victorious grace, he then was able to do those 
good works, not from a blind zeal, but according to what God 
had commanded in His holy word." We could also note Peter and 
Malchus in the gospel accounts, where Peter lops off the ear 
of Malchus in trying to defend the Savior. But the Savior comes 
with a measure of rebuke that the scriptures are supposed to 
be fulfilled. And so out of a blind zeal, Peter 
thought he was doing something that was according to the will 
of God. But it was, in effect, not according to the will of 
God, and rather from a bad fount of blind zeal. With regards to 
the pretense of good intentions, what does that look like, or 
where in the Scriptures might we see that? We see that with 
Uzzah reaching out to grab the ox cart upon which was the Ark 
of the Covenant. We see that God dealt with him 
very severely, striking him down because of his disobedience, 
his blind zeal, or his rather pretense of good intentions. 
and reaching out to do what he had not commanded. We could also 
think of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10. John Gill comments on this 
with respect to good works in the context of worship. This 
shows, that is the instance of Uzzah, this shows that it is 
dangerous in matters of worship to act contrary to the command 
of God, even in things that they may seem small that may seem 
small and trivial. And though what may be done may 
be done with a good intention, as this was, yet that will not 
excuse the sin. Nor are those who are the most 
forward and zealous in religious matters exempted from marks of 
God's displeasure when they go wrong. And so, again, the definition 
of good works, specifically as to the substance of good works, 
is that they are done in obedience to God's commandments, not out 
of blind zeal, and not out of the pretense of good intentions. And this brings us to an important 
point briefly here with respect to worship. John Gill's comment 
here, good works, or let's say this, worship is a good work. And so, when we started out by, 
or at the beginning here with the definition, when we went 
to chapter one, when we went to chapter two, and as we noted, 
chapter 19, regarding the connection of good works to other places 
in the confession, we should also draw a connection to chapter 
22 of worship and the Sabbath day, chapters 29, 29, 28, 29, 
and 30, which are of the sacraments of God, of baptism 
in the Lord's Supper. Why? Because those elements of 
worship, those things that we do in obedience to God with respect 
to worship, are good works. And so this chapter, in speaking 
of good works as those things done in obedience to God's commandments, 
it's speaking to worship as well. When we come in here on the Lord's 
Day and we engage in worship, that is a good work. And that 
worship is to be defined by God, not out of blind zeal, not out 
of the pretense of good intentions. If we scan the madness of the 
evangelical landscape in many parts and in many quarters, there 
is an operating from the pretense of good intentions and not from 
the revealed will of God. And so a good work is worship, 
or worship is a good work, and we ought to be very mindful, 
very precise, and very humble as we approach worship, realizing 
that God is a consuming fire, and we must approach Him acceptably. Moving on then to the manner 
by which good works proceed. So, under the definition of good 
works, we have the substance of good works, they are obedience 
to God's commandments. Secondly, the manner by which 
good works proceed. And if you can turn back to chapter 
16, and we're actually going to look at paragraph 7, with 
regards to the manner by which good works proceed. And it might 
be interesting that we're going to the chapter that speaks to 
the works of unregenerate men to see this, but bear with me, 
because we're doing the contrary of what is marked by unregenerate 
men in seeing how good works are to proceed by believers. 
Notice what paragraph seven, or how it reads. Works done by 
unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may be 
things which God commands and of good use both to themselves 
and others, yet because, now note, they proceed not from a 
heart purified by faith. So what is the first thing we 
want to note with respect to good works when we ask the question, 
by what manner are good works to proceed? Well, they are to 
proceed from hearts purified by faith. If the good work is 
not proceeding from a heart purified by faith, it is not a good work. 
As the Confession says, as to the matter of the good work, 
that is, they're done with respect to God's commandments, the old 
writers might use that they are materially good, but formally 
evil. Christians do that which is materially 
good, and they do that which is formally good. That is, they 
obey God's commandments, and they do it, in this case, by 
hearts purified by faith. Notice the confession goes on 
here. Nor are done in a right manner according to the Word. And based on the scripture proofs, 
we might say then that the second, so the first manner by which 
good works proceed, our hearts purified by faith. Secondly, 
here at this point, through love to God and love to our fellows, 
they proceed or are done in a right manner according to the word. 
a manner by which good works are to proceed is that they are 
to proceed in the character and in the flavor of love to God 
and love for our fellows. The confession here goes on, 
nor to a right end the glory of God. And so it is the glory 
of God ultimately that good works are to be done unto, and the 
unregenerate Though they might materially, or to the matter 
of good works, do what God commands, or works rather, do what God 
commands, yet formally they do not, and they are not doing it 
unto the glory of God. They are doing it for other reasons, 
whatever those reasons may be. And then you can turn with me 
in to paragraph 7 of chapter 19 to see a fourth manner by 
which good works proceed. So that's paragraph 19, paragraph 
7 of chapter 19. So good works proceed by hearts 
purified by faith, from love to God and from love to our fellows, 
and unto the glory of God. And now notice here in chapter 
19 at verse 7, neither are the aforementioned uses of the law 
contrary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly comply 
with it. the Spirit of Christ subduing 
and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully 
which the will of God revealed in the law requireth to be done. 
And so what is the fourth manner by which good works are to proceed? It is this, freely and cheerfully. You see, we are to engage in 
good works not as subordinate subjects to a miserly master, 
but as joyful and cheerful subjects to a blessed master, Father, 
Son, and Holy Spirit. So that is the manner by which 
good works proceed. And lastly, under the definition 
of good works, the definitive character of good works. the 
definitive character of good works. So we can go back to chapter 
16 and see this. What is the definitive character 
of good works? We see it in paragraph 2. And we've already noted this 
by way of language, but look at paragraph two. These good 
works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits 
and evidences of a true and lively faith. That is the definitive 
character of good works, that they are fruits and evidences 
of a true and lively faith. We have by God implanted in us 
that seed of grace. He has regenerated us. He has 
given us that faith by which we with empty hands receive that 
blessed imputed justification by faith alone. He has adopted 
us as sons. He sanctifies us. He gives us 
all of these graces. And then from that foundation, 
from that base of grace, we then proceed with the performance 
of good works. They are fruits and evidences 
of a lively faith. You can turn with me. to the 
book of Titus to see something of this, the book of Titus and 
Titus chapter 2. In Titus chapter 2 at verse 14, 
notice what we have here with respect to our Savior Jesus Christ 
and good works, who gave himself for us, this is 2.14, that he 
might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his 
own special people, zealous for good works. we have the fact 
that Christians proceed not according to a zealousness, we see the 
word here, not according to a zealousness that is blind, but a zeal blessedly 
informed by the will of God and wrought by the Spirit of God 
in our hearts. And so that is the definitive 
character of good works, that they are the fruits and evidences 
of a true and lively faith. If sin If sin is a want of or 
a lack of conformity unto the law of God, then good works are 
characterized by a regenerate conformity and joyful obedience 
to the law of God. Moving on then to the necessity, 
or excuse me, the necessary foundation for good works. So we've looked at the definition 
of good works. Now we're going to look at the necessary foundation 
of good works. And we find that in paragraph 
three. Notice here, their ability to do good works is not at all 
of themselves, but wholly from the spirit of Christ. and that 
they may be enabled thereunto, that is, to do good works, besides 
the graces they have already received, there is necessary 
an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to 
will and to do of His good pleasure." So, the necessary foundation 
for good works, first off, the source of the Christian's ability 
to perform them negatively, Their ability to do good works is not 
at all of themselves. So we see here that our ability 
to do good works doesn't flow from us. Our ability to do good 
works isn't found natively in us, but rather the ability to 
do good works positively comes from, or wholly from, the Spirit 
of Christ. And you see, so when we go about 
as Christians performing good works, as those evidences of 
our lively faith, we're not going about patting ourselves on the 
back. We're not going about holding a mirror and reflecting ourselves 
while we help our fellow brethren. We're not going about blasting 
and broadcasting our good works all over social media because 
we're so awesome. We are to see by our good works 
In doing our good works, we are to humbly look upon the triune 
God, and therein and there see the source of our good works. 
There see the foundation. There see the motivation. There 
see the power behind our good works. Their ability to do good 
works is wholly from the Spirit of Christ. Notice a few places 
in our confession where we see this. We want to draw some lines 
to other sections in the confession. You can turn to chapter 10. Chapter 
10 of Affectual Calling, notice in this paragraph what we find 
here. This is chapter 10 in paragraph 
1. Those whom God hath predestinated 
unto life, He is pleased in His appointed and accepted time effectually 
to call by His Word and Spirit out of that state of sin and 
death in which they are by nature to grace and salvation by Jesus 
Christ, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand 
the things of God, taking away their heart of stone and giving 
unto them a heart of flesh, renewing their wills and by his almighty 
power, determining them to that which is good and effectually 
drawing them to Jesus Christ, yet so as they come most freely 
being made willing by his grace. So you see the connection here 
between effectual calling and good works by his almighty power, 
not ours, but his by his almighty power, determining them to that 
which is good. And so we see here that positively 
the source of the Christian's ability to do good works is wholly 
from the Spirit of Christ. Also you can note chapter 19 
and paragraph 7 where we read that Christ subdues and enables 
the will of man in order to comply cheerfully with the law of God. So the source of the Christians' 
ability to perform them, not from us, but wholly from the 
Spirit of Christ. And the confession also adds, 
secondly, the requisite power of the Holy Spirit in their execution. So we have the ability to do 
good works, But when it comes to the actual execution, what 
do we find there? Well, we see that again back 
in chapter 16 at paragraph 3, there is necessary an actual 
influence of the same Holy Spirit That is, that they may be enabled 
thereunto to execute those good works. So not only is the source 
the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, but the actual activity, 
the engagement in good works, or the enabling thereunto to 
be obedient and comply joyfully with God's commandments, the 
Spirit of Christ is also necessary there. That they may be enabled 
thereunto, there is necessary an actual influence of the same 
Holy Spirit. As we go about our day and days 
of the week, and as we come into the church here for worship on 
the Lord's Day, we ought to pray to the Holy Spirit that He would 
enable us to do those things that are pleasing in God's sight. 
We don't go about, you know, the good things. We don't go 
about our days as Christians resting upon our own strength. 
resting upon our own vigor, resting upon our own splendor, because 
there is none, we rest solely and alone upon the triune God 
and pray to that self-same God that He would daily give us supplies 
of His Spirit in order to cheerfully comply with His Word. Whether 
it be unto God in worship or unto our fellow man, when we 
are to do those things, in the second table of the law of God. 
And so we need the Spirit, and we need to pray to the Spirit. 
Also in paragraphs one and three of chapter 13, you don't need 
to turn there, but we see there the Spirit supplied for the practice 
of holiness. And in paragraph two of chapter 
14, by faith a Christian is enabled to yield obedience. And we could 
note, of course, Philippians 2.13. And in fact, you can turn 
there, Philippians 2.13, because the confession uses language 
drawn specifically from this passage in this chapter three 
that we have read. So in Philippians 2 at verse, 
let's see, we'll pick up at verse 12. Philippians 2 verse 12, So you see the admonishment or 
the encouragement, the exhortation here, work out your own salvation. That doesn't mean to work for 
your own salvation, but work out that which God has already 
given you and by the supplies of God's Spirit who works in 
us both to will and to do for His good pleasure. And the confession 
speaks of that here, an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit 
to work in them to will and to do for His good pleasure. So the requisite power of the 
Holy Spirit in the execution of good works. And John Gill 
comments here, and holiness, as it denotes an external course 
of life, is useful and profitable on many accounts. Hereby, God 
is glorified, the doctrine of Christ is adorned, religion is 
honored and recommended, our own credit, reputation, and peace 
are preserved, and our neighbor's good promoted. I read that quote 
in its entirety because I wanted to say this afterwards. That 
was the wrong quote that I just read for this particular point 
at the confession of faith. The language speaks with regards 
to the effectual power of God in bringing about obedience on 
the part of His people. I had a Gil quote, but it's not 
there, so we'll move on. But all of that to say this, 
that the requisite power of the Holy Spirit in the execution 
of good works is absolutely necessary, or else we are hopeless. We rest 
upon, we need the Spirit of God in order to do those things which 
are pleasing in His sight. But note, Not but note, but end 
note, that there is a qualification, thirdly, a qualifying observation 
here that the paragraph gives. At the end of paragraph three, 
we read, Yet they are not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they 
were not bound to perform any duty, unless upon a special motion 
of the Spirit, but they ought to be diligent in stirring up 
the grace of God that is in them. So, though we rest upon the power 
of God, though the source of the Christian's ability to perform 
good works rests upon God and His enabling spirit, that does 
not mean that we are to be stagnant. That does not mean we are to 
just wait on the couch with, you know, with Cheetos crumbs 
on our chest, waiting for God to lift us up and put us into 
the service of Christ and His kingdom. We are to be diligent 
in stirring up the grace of God that is in them. This clause 
that we read here, unless upon a special motion of the Spirit, 
may have reference to the Quakers, who were predominant in England 
and then in the continents when they came over to North America. 
They had opposed the Church of England. They had disagreed with 
the non-conformists, such as our Baptist forebears, and they 
had a doctrine that was like this, a waiting upon the inner 
light, a waiting upon the motions of the Spirit. And so, our particular 
Baptist forebears want to Contra that, want to come against that 
and say no, though the power does come from on high, you are 
nevertheless to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God 
that is in you. There are means that God uses 
in order to bring about things for the glory of Christ and His 
kingdom, and He works by and through us to bring about those 
things. And so that is the qualifying 
observation. And so we move on now to the 
non-meritorious nature of good works. And this is really where 
the rubber hits the road, for lack of a better term. And not 
to say that the stuff we've already mentioned isn't important, But 
this is at the heart and center of Protestant conflict with the 
Roman Catholic Church throughout the ages. And not just the Roman 
Catholic Church, but we must say that the Roman Catholic Church, 
yes, it is prominent in the history of the doctrine of good works 
and its role in the Christian life and in Christian doctrine. 
Generation after generation sees the hissing and the whispering 
of the father of lies with respect to good works and its role in 
the Christian faith. And that is, generation after 
generation, the enemy of God and of Christians makes makes 
the air fuzzy and confounds things at the point of the doctrine 
of good works and justification, such that the unwilling, the 
untaught, and the unstable are drawn away to doctrines where 
good works in some measure can save us. And this we must fight 
in every quarter and across every road and around every turn, because 
it steals away from the glory of God, it steals away from the 
majesty of Christ, it steals away from amazing and victorious 
grace. And so let's look at the non-meritorious 
nature of good works in paragraph 5, first by noting the fact clearly 
asserted. Notice, we cannot, by our best 
works, merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God. There is nothing fuzzy about 
the confession of faith at this particular point. There's nothing, 
we don't need some sort of crystal or interpretive aid to try and 
find the mystery of the declaration of good works and how they relate 
to divine justice. It's clear in the Bible and our 
confession exegeting and interpreting the Bible and laying out theological 
conclusions, it's clear in both places. We cannot, by our best 
works, merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God. 
Just three passages in the Holy Scriptures that teach us this, 
and you can first turn to the book of Romans in chapter 3. The Bible is absolutely clear 
on this point, that we are not saved by deeds of righteousness 
which we have done, but according to His mercy, that is, the triune 
God's mercy, He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing 
of the Holy Spirit. Notice here, though, in Romans 
3 at verse 19, now we know that whatever the law says, it says 
to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped 
and all the world may become guilty before God. I think I 
said this is Romans chapter 19. We're now at verse 20. Therefore, 
by the deeds of the law, no flesh shall be justified in his sight, 
for by the law is the knowledge of sin. So let's just pause for 
a moment there. We see that negative statement, 
by the deeds of the law, no flesh shall be justified in his sight. The clarity of Holy Scripture 
on this point is unavoidable. And so it is for one to in unbelief, 
to in the depravity and the sinfulness of their hearts, to rail against 
the scripture as like a full-time job, to try and wrestle out an 
interpretation that we can in some measure, whether in whole 
or in part, merit divine favor by the exercise of good works. 
It's madness. The scriptures are quite clear, 
but let's continue here. But now the righteousness of 
God, apart from the law, is revealed, being witnessed by the law and 
the prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus 
Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference. 
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being 
justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is 
in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His 
blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in 
His forbearance God has passed over the sins that were previously 
committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, 
that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has 
faith in Jesus. And notice verse 27. Where is 
boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law 
of faith. You see the language of verse 
27, it's all excellent, but the language of 27 here of note now 
is excellent. Where is boasting then? It is 
excluded. And the reason that boasting 
is excluded is not because we're so holy that we never boast. 
You know, that's not why Paul writes this. Christians are so 
holy that we never boast. We know that in some measure 
we have contributory relevance to the satisfaction of divine 
justice, but we're just not going to boast on that. No. Boast in 
that. No. Where is boasting then it 
is excluded is because all have fallen short of the glory of 
God. All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of 
God. There is no justifying in the sight of God by the deeds 
of the law. And so where is boasting then? 
It is excluded because of that and because the only boast is 
in the crucified one, in the resurrected one, in the ascended 
one, our Lord Jesus Christ. That's wherein boasting lies. The fact is clearly asserted. 
Notice in Galatians chapter 2, in Galatians 2 at verse, we'll 
start at verse, well, we'll read verse 16. And then we'll read a little 
bit later at the end of the chapter. But notice in verse 16, and notice 
the repetition of Paul here in verse 16. If anybody's confused 
initially, Paul clearly lays it out. But if anybody is still 
confused, Paul repeats it. And if anybody is still confused, 
Paul repeats it again. Notice in verse 16 of Galatians 
2. knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the 
law but by faith in Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus 
Christ that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by 
the works of the law, for by the works of the law no flesh 
shall be justified. It's the nail in the coffin of 
meritorious works religion. It's a nail in the coffin of 
the Roman Catholic Church and their rejection of the biblical 
doctrine of justification. It's a nail in the coffin of 
anyone coming to the scriptures and coming to the ears of the 
untaught and the unstable who are trying to say that works 
will merit them salvation. A three-fold, clear declaration 
that salvation is not by the works of the law, but by faith 
in Jesus Christ. And then notice verse 21, I do 
not set aside the grace of God, for if justification comes through 
the law, then Christ died in vain. That is the implication. That is what is at stake here, 
is the perfection of the work of Jesus Christ our Savior. That 
is clearly what's at stake, and that's what Martin Luther was 
getting at with his the vanity of good works and the perfection 
of Christ in that quote from the outset. If whether in whole 
or in part, we can, in some measure, merit eternal life by our own 
doings, by our own deeds, by our own good works, then the 
coming of Christ in the incarnation is in vain. Then the doing and 
the dying and the rising again of Christ is vanity. But of course 
it isn't. Of course it's perfection. Of 
course it's beauty. Of course it's glorious. Of course 
it's complete. Of course it is all that alone 
avails for God in the realm of divine justice. We are saved 
by our blessed Christ. So the fact is clearly asserted. 
And we can make a note, of course, Ephesians 2, 8 to 10. We don't 
need to turn there. But the clear declaration that 
we're saved by grace through faith, not by our own works, 
not by the deeds of our own righteousness, but by grace that God has given 
to us. Because we are his workmanship, 
we're created in Christ Jesus for those good works. And so 
the clear assertion of the confession and the clear assertion of the 
Bible is such. were not saved by works, but 
solely and alone by virtue of Christ our Savior." You can make 
a note here, paragraph 1 of chapter, excuse me, paragraph 5 of chapter 
3, good works are not the conditions or causes moving God to predestinate. Paragraph 3 of chapter 7, the 
inability of good works to gain acceptance with God, in the context 
of the covenant there, those former ways by which God interacted 
with Adam and covenanted with Adam are no longer in effect, 
but rather because the fall into sin, the inability of good works 
to gain acceptance with God is clear. Paragraph one of chapter 
11, very important here. The doctrine of justification 
in chapter 11 of justification has a vital connection to chapter 
16 and the entirety of the chapter. You can turn to chapter 11 for 
a moment because paragraphs one and two are vital for an understanding 
of justification absolutely, but also at the same time for 
a proper understanding of the role of good works in the Christian 
life. Notice at chapter 1 of paragraph 
1 of chapter 11 of justification. Those whom God effectually calleth, 
he also freely justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into 
them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting 
their persons as righteous, not for anything wrought in them 
or done by them. Again, the mastery of clarity 
here in summarizing the biblical witness to justification and 
the role of good works. Not for anything wrought in them 
or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone. Not by imputing faith 
itself, the act of believing, or any other, notice, evangelical 
obedience to them. probably has a measure of Baxterianism 
in view there, nor any other evangelical obedience to them 
as their righteousness, but by imputing Christ's act of obedience 
unto the whole law and passive obedience in his death for their 
whole and soul righteousness by faith, which faith they have 
not of themselves, it is the gift of God. And now notice paragraph 
two. with regards to good works. Faith 
thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness 
is the alone instrument of justification, yet it is not alone in the person 
justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, 
and is no dead faith, but worketh by love." This is important here 
because we're going to notice next time, Lord willing, because 
I'm not going to get through all the material on the way here 
with Tracy. I'm reading through it and she's 
looking at my notes and she's saying, I'm going to get through 
all that, and I'm going to try, but hopefully it's okay if I 
continue the study on good works next time. But notice something 
important here with regards to what it says about Christ and 
justification. By imputing that this is how 
justification comes. by imputing Christ's act of obedience 
unto the whole law and passive obedience in his death. This 
is absolutely vital at the point that we're discussing here, the 
non-meritorious nature of good works. What are the works that 
avail with God? What are the works that avail 
with God? It is, or the works Completed 
and perfected and executed by Christ alone are the works that 
avail with God for our salvation. You see, we don't have any act 
of obedience that can satisfy divine justice. Because even 
as Christians, it's mingled with weakness. It's mingled with corruption. We do not do it perpetually, 
personally, entirely, and perfectly. Christ did. That's why we can't 
merit salvation by our good works. Not only can we not execute and 
perform and obey the perfection of an act of obedience unto God, 
that is, the doing of His will, according to His revealed will, 
but we also can't pay in passive obedience by the execution of 
good works for the sins already committed. The confession will 
go on to see that, and we'll see that next time. So what works 
are we to look for for the satisfaction of divine justice. We're not 
to look in the mirror. We're not to look inward at our 
hearts and the inner moving of the Holy Spirit. We're not to 
look to our own power. We're not to look to ourselves. 
We are to look to the one who lived, the one who died, the 
one who rose again, and the one who ascended for the perfection 
of good works that avail with God. And that is why any Doctrine. Any teaching, any dogma that 
says that our works in some measure contribute to, augment, or have 
anything to do with justification in the meriting of everlasting 
life or the forgiveness of sins is to be tossed in the heap of 
a confounding history. And we are to teach and to uphold 
and to fight for justification by faith alone, repudiating that 
good works in any way merit everlasting life. So the fact is clearly 
asserted and as well in chapter 19 in paragraph six, you need 
not turn there, but the utility of the moral law is given there 
with respect. Well, actually, I'm going to, 
you can turn there because it's important to see this, the utility 
of the moral law with respect to good works. Notice here in 
paragraph six of chapter 19, although true believers be not 
under the law as a covenant of works to be thereby justified 
or condemned, yet it is of great use to them as well as to others 
in that as a rule of life informing them of the will of God and their 
duty, et cetera. So the third use of the law there, the normative use of the law 
with regards to the Ten Commandments, it is such that we see a pattern 
for good works declared to us, the will of God revealed in His 
Word, and the use of the law is not meritorious, but rather 
we see here, for Christians, it informs us of our duty, that 
duty that we exercise in joyful obedience to the God who saved 
us. Then, lastly, just by, well, 
we have three minutes and 27 seconds, so some of the reasons 
stated in the paragraph, back in the chapter of Good Works, 
chapter 16, notice some of the reasons stated as to why works 
are not meritorious. Paragraph three, their ability 
to do good works, excuse me, not paragraph three, paragraph 
five, we cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin or eternal 
life at the hand of God by reason of the great disproportion that 
is between them and the glory to come, and the infinite distance 
that is between us and God, whom by them we can neither profit 
nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins. But when we have 
done all we can, we have done but our duty and are unprofitable 
servants. And because as they are good, 
they proceed from his spirit, and as they are wrought by us, 
they are defiled and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection 
that they cannot endure the severity of God's punishment. If anybody 
wants to pound their chest and say, there is a measure whereby 
I can attain the favor of God according to my good works, they 
can come to this paragraph, again, summarizing the biblical witness, 
and they can see themselves cast to the ground, hopefully humbly, 
before a glorious God who cannot look upon imperfection, who cannot 
look upon weakness, who cannot look upon the exercise of good 
works, mingled with sin and corruption, and say, well done, good and 
faithful servant. There is one good and faithful 
servant who has done good works, and that is the Savior, our Lord 
Jesus Christ. And so with regards to these 
reasons stated, so the confession clearly declares that salvation 
cannot be our best works, merit, we cannot, by our best works, 
merit pardon of sin. The confession clearly declares 
that. And the reasons given summarily are First, the evidentiary nature 
of good works. We've already seen in paragraph 
two the evidentiary nature of good works. They're fruits and 
evidences of a true and lively faith. How can we not merit eternal 
life by our works? what we've already stated with 
regards to the glory of God, grace alone, faith alone, Christ 
alone, but also because what we already said regarding good 
works, that they are the fruits and evidences of a lively faith. Also, because of the contrast 
between good works and eschatological beatitude, the Confession lays 
that out, the insurmountable assent to divine satisfaction, 
we cannot pay for our former sins to satisfy the justice of 
God. We have violated the law of God, 
and by good works, which are temporary and mingled with corruption 
and weakness, we certainly cannot satisfy the divine justice of 
a holy God. The obligatory nature of good 
works for the creature, by doing good works we are doing our duty, 
the Confession says. It's not something whereby we 
are rewarded by God for the exercise in doing them. It is that we 
are doing but our duty in the exercise of good works. And so 
God is not going to bless us with eternal life for doing something 
that is simply the creaturely duty to do. The corruption inherent, 
lastly, in man's best performance. How can we not be saved by good 
works? Again, and as we've already said, because our good works 
done in obedience to God's commandments are yet still marked by weakness, 
are yet still marked by corruption, are yet still proceeding from 
a heart that has remaining corruption. And so as we'll see next time 
in the acceptability of good works and in the purpose of good 
works, but specifically the acceptability of good works, our acceptability 
before God comes by virtue of Jesus Christ. Our good works 
are not accepted by God in and of themselves or because they 
proceed from us, but because they are received through Christ 
our mediator. The blessed one in whom we are 
accepted, in whom that one beloved in whom we are accepted also 
accepts our good works as the high priest who offers them up 
to God through his mediatorial glory and beauty. Well, let us 
pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you 
for this time together to study good works. We thank you for 
our time together to realize that we are not saved, and to 
glory in the fact that we are not saved by our good works, 
because by them we never could be. But we are saved, holy and 
alone, by virtue of the perfection of the work of our Savior, the 
Lord Jesus Christ. His doing, His dying, His rising 
again. And we rest in that. We rest 
in your grace. We rest in the amazing and victorious 
grace of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We pray, though, that 
you would give us, God, that spirit of grace, that spirit 
of enabling, that we might joyfully and cheerfully be able to do 
those things that you have commanded in your holy word. And as we 
go into worship, as we go in to obey and worship, to do that 
good work of worship, we do pray that you would be with us, that 
you would cheer our hearts, that you would lift us up to high 
thoughts of our blessed God and of Jesus Christ whom he sent. 
And we pray in his blessed name, amen.