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Does anyone need a confession of faith? We're studying the confession of faith this morning. If anyone needs one, you can put your hand up or. Raise your hand or if you don't need it, that's fine. If you do ever wanna grab one, the blue basket is up at the top of the refrigerator and you can get one there.

We're in the chapter concerning good works, which is chapter 16. So if you'd like to turn to chapter 16. Maybe if we could get Leslie one there, yeah. Chapter 16. And we'll have a look at a number of the things. We won't be able to, of course. There's seven paragraphs, and there is a lot that could be discussed. We won't spend time on every single clause, but we'll have a look at the doctrine of good work. So this is chapter 16, beginning at paragraph 1.

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 the 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 that 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 are they 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 our 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 judgment.

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 accomplished 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, a lot of information there, not simply information, biblical truth concerning the doctrine of good works, and it's an important topic, of course, in light of what we've already studied previously regarding the doctrine of salvation, as we've worked through beginning at chapter 10 with effectual calling, all the way through justification, adoption, sanctification, faith, repentance unto life and salvation. We arrive now at Good Works and their place in a proper Christian theology and it's an important thing to study because of what the Bible discloses concerning how we are saved and therefore how we are not saved. Also, if we look back upon the landscape of Christianity, we see we see time and again the topic of good works and their relation to salvation coming into view.

We can simply think of the Protestant Reformation and the contestations between the Protestants and the Roman Catholics. We can think as well as of the fuzziness in our own modern landscape with regards to Christianity. You just have to look at popular culture and how television and film depict redemption as that which is self-wrought and the good works outweighing the bad works in order to merit everlasting life. It's just a terrible depiction of Christianity sort of around every corner. And so it's good for us always to A, know what the Bible says regarding good works, but also be, therefore, to inoculate ourselves against any incorrect notion of what good works do in the matter of salvation, what they don't do.

The Roman Catholic Church, just to provide a bit of historical context, it's not only the Roman Catholic Church, though they're almost explicit, not explicitly mentioned, but very close with a couple of points, specifically the doctrine of supererogation in paragraph 4. but they're largely in view. Not only, as well, the Sassinians are in view, I would say even the Armenians, the Quakers, but largely the Roman Catholics. And this is the Roman Catholic approach to justification, which in part, the particular Baptists are opposing here in this chapter of Good Works. This is from the Council of Trent in in the 1500s, the 16th century.

If anyone saith that the justice received is not preserved, that is in justification, 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 Catholics are anathematizing the Apostle Paul in the Council of Trent, and any Protestant who says that the that good works are merely the fruits and signs of justification obtained. They're explicitly countering the biblical view and then, of course, the historically Protestant and Reformed view of justification.

Martin Luther, in his commentary on the book of Galatians, specifically at Galatians 2.21, there, remember, the apostle Paul says that if righteousness comes through the law, than Christ died in vain. He writes this, or he wrote this, 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? Let us be warned, 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.

And so as we look at this doctrine of good works, we're going to note, of course, that good works are not the cause of our salvation. Then what role do they play? And we'll see what that looks like. And we'll see here from the confession a definition of good works. What are they? What do they look like? From where do they flow? and all of those things that the Bible discloses, not all of the things, but a number of the things that the Bible teaches us clearly regarding salvation and good works.

In relation to the doctrine of justification, and just to set the stage as we now look at the content of the chapter, this is Jim Renahan, Dr. Jim Renahan, good works have no place at all in effectual calling or justification. And on the note of the chapter on justification, paragraph two, where it says that justification is always accompanied by all other saving graces. And the faith, the faith that we have is always accompanied by all other saving graces and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. He says, chapter 16 of Good Works, defines that faith working by love in Chapter 11, Paragraph 2 of Justification. the doctrine of good works, the confession is laid out this way with regards to this chapter, and we could say that there's a sevenfold, because there are seven paragraphs, outline to what the paragraphs cover, what they're articulating, and just so that you can sort of see where we're going, we won't touch upon every clause, but what does each paragraph touch upon regarding good works.

Paragraph one is the acceptable scope of good works. Paragraph two is the nature, purpose, and culmination of good works. Paragraph 3 is the power behind and in good works and the accompanying means. Paragraph 4, the believer's shortcoming in performing good works. Paragraph 5, the value of good works relative to divine justice.

Two more, paragraph six, Christological exclusivity in the divine acceptance of good works. We'll notice that that simply means, that simply means that our good works are accepted through Christ alone. They're not accepted in the sight of God by virtue of them themselves or by us doing them, but by virtue of the mediator. So the exclusivity of Christ, we could say, in the acceptance of our good works before God. paragraph 7 rather, the character of unregenerate works. So let's have a look then first as we get into the content proper now.

What is the definition of good works? There's a definition of good works that we see here in paragraphs one and two, and the first part of this is positively what they are. We'll see negatively what they are not, but first, positively, what are good works? Notice the very first clause in paragraph one of chapter 16. Good works are only such as God hath commanded in his holy word. So we see that foundationally, good works, are those things that God has revealed in the scriptures.

In other words, and we could say negatively, they're not those things, well, we don't have to say it because the next clause says it, negatively, and 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 not man that dictates what good works are. It's not man that dictates what the... constitutes those things that are pleasing in the sight of God, it's God himself who establishes the standard of good works, the definition of good works, and what constitutes a good work. The definition is also seen in paragraph two, amplifying it or putting some, putting some meat on the bones, these good works done in obedience to God's commandments are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith. So we can see here that good works are obedience to God's commands.

If sin is a lack of conformity unto or a violation of the law of God, then good works are characterized by a regenerate conformity and joyful obedience to the law of God. So we could set good works in opposition to sin. Sin is, not conforming to the law of God. Sin is an active violation of the law of God. Whereas good works then are, conversely, a regenerate conformity to the law of God. We conform to the law of God as believers saved by grace.

And an upholding of the law of God, a doing joyfully that which God has commanded in his holy word. And I think at this point it's good for us to point out that if the first table of the law has to do with God and the proper worship of him, then good works ought to be seen first and foremost in obedience to the first table of the law. You want to know what good works are, see it in the proper worship of the living and true God. You want to do a good work, you should help an elderly lady into her home with her groceries if she needs such help. That is a good work. But let's look at the first table of the law, and therein see that first and glorious law, you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength. And those are good works, properly speaking, as well the second table of the law, and love towards neighbor.

So in a discussion of good works, we ought to never exclude the stuff of chapter 22, which is of religious worship and the Sabbath day. good works have immediate relation to the first table of the law, what we think concerning God. Remember that what we believe, proper doctrine is, and belief in it, is a good work. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not create images of God. You should not take the Lord's name in vain. Honor the Sabbath day.

All of those things, and not only the first table, but again the second table, are those things that God hath commanded in his holy word, and good works are only such as God hath done so. And so when we look at this doctrine of good works, we ought to think worship and write worship. among many other joyful things that we carry out in joyful obedience to the Lord our God. So the definition of good works, only such as God hath commanded in his holy word, these are done in obedience to his commandments and are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith. You notice the importance there in in paragraph two, and it amplifies it more, the confession does, in paragraph five. But notice what good works don't do or are not.

Notice that the confession says, and against the Roman Catholic Council of Trent, language there, fruits and signs of justification, where the Catholics are railing against the biblical view. Notice it says that they are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith. Not that they, in addition to our faith, merit everlasting life before God. They are the fruits and the 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.

Just turn back to chapter 11 with me for a moment, just to remind ourselves, on this point, that good works are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith. In the doctrine of justification, the chapter concerning it, chapter 11, notice the language here with regards to justification relative to good works.

Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth, paragraph one, 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, but for Christ's sake alone, not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or 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. So if we pause for a moment, we can see here A, salvation, justification, is not by good works, not by our good works, but we see the necessity of good works for salvation, those being Christ's. In other words, it's Christ's good works that avail for salvation, not our own, but by imputing Christ's act of obedience unto the whole law, all that God hath commanded in his holy word.

Works done in obedience to God's commandments. Christ has perfected obedience And in justification, his act of obedience is imputed to us. And notice, passive obedience in his death. So those bad works, those wicked works, the sin that we do, Christ in his good work of obedience, that penal obedience upon the cross of Calvary, he bears the penalty for our sins. And so it is the good works of Christ that avails for salvation, for justification, not our own good works. The definition of good works, again, those things done in obedience to God's commandments. And negatively speaking, not as without the warrant of the word of God are devised by men out of blind zeal.

In Thomas Manton's comments on Acts 3.13, so Thomas Manton was commenting upon the deeds. the wicked deeds of the Jews in delivering up the Lord of Glory to crucifixion, and he speaks with regards to this blind zeal and the pretense of good intentions. He is speaking on the language of whom you delivered up, Peter, speaking to the unbelieving Jews who crucified Christ. He says, the priests for envy, Judas for gain, the people in blind zeal, and Pilate to keep up his esteem among the Jews. So in other words, the Jews thought they were doing good works when they crucified Jesus, but it was not in obedience to what God has commanded in his holy word, but rather it was out of blind zeal and the pretense of good intentions.

We could think as well, as examples of these, we could think of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 1 verses 11 through 17 where he's speaking of his own blind zeal and his own what he thought were good intentions in delivering up Christians to their deaths and to persecutions.

We could also think about Uzzah and the grabbing of the cart. We could think about a number of things such as Nadab and Abihu with regards to the pretense of good intentions and blind zeal. Gil writes this. This shows, he's speaking about Old Testament examples regarding blind zeal and the pretense of good intentions.

This shows that it is dangerous in matters of worship to act contrary to the command of God, even in things that may seem small and trivial. And though what may be done may be done with a good intention, as this was, that is, the grabbing of the cart so that the Ark of the Covenant would not slip, Yet this 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."

So this is why I think Well, maybe not we, but I think the church at large and the Christian landscape at large can kind of hold that view that good works are those things that are done in zeal and those things that are born of good intentions without having a definitive without having a definitive rule of good works, his holy word, God's commandments. And so we must always see that the definition of good works has foundationally in view the very commandments of God and the revealed will of God.

Notice as well here, so the definition of good works first. Secondly, the manner by which good works proceed. The manner by which good works proceed. Notice the language that we have first of all, and I want to just sort of move down for a moment to paragraph seven. Notice the manner from which good works proceed.

Now this is in a comment stated regarding unregenerate men, but nevertheless, 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, notice, yet because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith.

And so, On the flip side of that then, the regenerate do good works, properly speaking, regenerate good works from hearts purified by faith. And so good works are not those things that secure for us salvation, but rather God having given us the gift of faith, we do those good works from hearts purified by that faith. And so the manner from which or the manner by which good works proceed is from a, and notice paragraph two, a true and lively faith. These good works done in obedience to God's commandments are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith. So the vantage point, the disposition that good works proceed from are not from the hearts of men, generally speaking, but from hearts purified by faith, from regenerate men, from regenerate women, from saved boys and girls with regards to their position in respect to God and Christ and salvation. So good works proceed from a true and lively faith from hearts purified by it.

Notice if you'll turn with me to connect this to the law of God, if you can turn to chapter 19, this speaks to the same language regarding hearts purified by faith. This is paragraph seven of chapter 19 of the law of God, and it's speaking with regards to the use, the utility of the law in the life of the Christian and in the life of men generally as well. But notice, neither are the aforementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly comply with it. Notice here, 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. So the vantage point, the manner from which good works proceed are from wills renewed by God in salvation.

We ought to take pause for a moment to consider this with regards to the Christians' obedience to the law of God. We've been enabled, to do not just the law of God generally as if in some sort of external compliance or simply a mere obligation, but to do that freely and cheerfully, which the will of God revealed in the law requires to be done. We were beforehand opposed to this God who has saved us. We were beforehand dead in trespasses and sins and in slavery to sin.

And so good works, the reality of them are such that we have been undeservedly yet blessedly freed and liberated from that bondage to sin and brought into a position, a vantage point where we can freely and joyfully do, cheerfully the confession says, that which God requires to be done. What a blessing it is to be not slaves of sin but to be freed unto servitude to God where we can freely and cheerfully do what he commands us. That's what we ought to see when it comes to worship, which is a good work, when it comes to knowing the truth and believing it, when it comes to doing those things for God and for neighbor, in the sight of God, that God commands in his holy word. It's not things that we do begrudgingly, it's not things that we do out of some empty sense of obligation, but something that is filled with the freeness and the cheer of one who has been brought forth from darkness to light.

And that's how we ought to see good works. We've been freed that we might be able to do them before a holy God. and a gracious God. Notice moving on then here, we see the definition of good works. We see the manner from which good works proceed. They proceed from a heart purified by faith. Notice the necessary foundation of good works. Paragraph three.

We touched on it a little bit just now, but their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the spirit of Christ. Remember the language of the scriptures, but you were dead in your trespasses and sins. We were the children of wrath, and yet now we have been made joyfully and cheerfully able to do those things which are pleasing in the sight of God. Their ability, that is, the Christians' 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.

So there's this reality of those things that have obtained once for all in the life of the Christian, those graces already obtained. So we could think of those as the stuff of chapters 10, 11. 12 and part of 13, and then the rest of 13 and 14. In other words, we've been converted, faith and repentance. We've been justified and adopted.

We have had that sanctification whereby in salvation, God has set us apart by virtue of the work of Christ unto service to him. but now we receive these actual influences of the same Holy Spirit to work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure, progressive sanctification, availing of the Word, availing of the Spirit, being the constant recipients of this actual influence of the Holy Spirit to work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.

And this is, as always, to be recognized as something that we are to actively stir up. The confession here doesn't engender some notion where the Christian is to lay on the couch and to wait for the motions of the Spirit. Notice that though it is the case that the Spirit of Christ makes us able to do good works, and though it is the case that the Spirit of Christ continues with us, giving us that actual influence of grace to do His pleasure, we're not here, the final clause, the final set of clauses in paragraph three, not hereupon to grow negligent as if we were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit. But we are to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in us. And so, God works by means. God calls us, though the power and the efficacy comes from the divine, it comes from the spirit of Christ, God calls us to be active in God. waking up, and getting dressed, and brushing our teeth, and going to church, in availing of the blessed means of grace that God has given us that we might do those things that are pleasing in his sight, to wake up, to read the word, to avail of the spirit in the reading of the word, and to do those things that God has called us to do.

So the necessary foundation of good works is not ourselves, but holy from the Spirit of Christ, who initially brings us forth from darkness to light, and then continually influences us that we might do those things pleasing in the light. Notice as well the imperfection of the best of works. The imperfection of the best of works. In paragraphs four and five, in paragraph four we see this interesting statement.

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 of which in duty they are bound to do. This is, not explicitly, because it bears biblical witness on its own ground, but it is in view or in the crosshairs is the Roman Catholic Church and their doctrine of supererogation.

And what they say, what they said at this time, and what they still do say is that It is the case that saints are able to do more than what God actually requires, and in so doing, they can fill up a salvific bucket that other Christians can avail of in the wearing of a brooch, or in the praying to Mary, or in the praying to saints, and in the lighting of candles. So in other words, there is that which God requires But people can somehow, Catholics can somehow do even more than what God requires, and therein establish some sort of salvific pool from which Christians can gain certain things. So, in other words, Salvation, to a particular degree, isn't all of Christ. It's also the good works of saints throughout the ages that can avail for Roman Catholics as they wear amethyst brooches and various bits of jewelry. light certain candles. So they're targeting the nonsense of the Roman Catholic Church here in upholding A, justification by faith alone in Christ alone, but B, in targeting any notion of good works that we can actually do more than what God requires of us.

Notice that the language here is such that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do. So not only can Christians not do what their duty is, that is what God does require, but they fall short much in that duty, falling far short of what God actually requires.

And that transitions then into the reality of, you know, So both the imperfection of the best of works, but then, of course, the non-meritorious nature of good works. Paragraph five, the non-meritorious nature of good works. We cannot, by our best works, merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God. So good works cannot merit everlasting life.

And let's just turn to the scriptures. This is the stuff of the ABCs of Christianity, but hopefully the blessed ABCs of Christianity. You can turn first with me to the book of Romans and chapter three. In Romans chapter 3, we see a first instance there of not the first instance in the Bible, but our first instance for observation here that the deeds of the law, so good works, cannot justify us in the sight of God.

Notice in Romans 3.19, 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. So before we read the next verse, let's just think about that for a moment.

The law of God is not given that it might hold forth life, that it might say, do this and live. that a man might actually be able to do it and to live. In other words, we don't see here the law given that every mouth may rejoice that if they do the law, then they may have everlasting life.

But rather, the law is a condemning letter. It is a letter of death that brings death to those who seek to live by it. And We see then in verse 20, therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For what is the purpose of the law? For by the law is the knowledge of sin.

So, if it's the case that obedience to the law does not bring justification, then We must say, because good works are obedience to the law, that good works, of course, then do not bring justification. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. There is a utility, of course, to good works, but good works properly in their place.

Galatians chapter two, Galatians, largely speaking, is an epistle that's all about this, all about justification, by faith alone apart from the works of the law. Notice and remember in Galatians 2, verse 16, well first of all, well yeah, Galatians 2, 16, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, 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. And of course, verse 21, I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. You can turn with me to the book of Titus as well. In Titus three, notice at verse four.

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. not by works of righteousness which we have done. The Bible is clear that salvation, that justification, that the salvation that God gives is not by the works of the law.

One other passage here that brings into view not only the rejection of the idea that works, good works save us, but also the utility of good works. So what is the purpose of good works and wherein do they have their place? You can turn to the book of Ephesians, a passage no doubt familiar to all of us in Ephesians 2. After already writing that we have been made alive, having previously been dead in trespasses and sins, dead men can't make themselves alive by the doing of good works.

Christ makes us alive, God makes us alive by virtue of His grace, His mercy, His eternal lovingkindness, and based upon the finished work of Christ. And then notice in verse 8 of Ephesians 2, for by grace you have been saved, so there's the first statement that it's not by works, through faith, the second statement that it's not by works, and now the actual clear statement that it's not of works, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, and the second We could say even clearer, now bringing in the word works, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. the testification or the vindication reality of good works, that they are to glorify God, they're not to glorify the doer of the works, that he might be glorified in some reward for doing them, but rather having been made alive from deadness, God, by grace, through faith, works those things that are pleasing in His sight by the Spirit of Christ. We are His workmanship. The works that we do do not glorify the doer. They glorify the God who is the architect of them. We are His workmanship.

And so coming back to the confession of faith, we cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin or eternal life at the hand of God. And notice there are some reasons here that are given in paragraph five. What are the reasons that we cannot, by our best works, merit pardon of sin or everlasting life at the hand of God first? By reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come. There is this eschatological between what we do on this earth and the glory that comes in the perfection that will obtain in Emmanuel's land by reason of the great disproportion that is between our works and the glory that is to come.

And notice as well in the infinite distance that is between us and God, that doesn't only mean the sin that brings the distance, the enmity between God and man, but the doctrine of being reality, the metaphysical reality that there is a vast difference between the creator and the creature. Chapter seven speaks to this a little bit in only a brief statement. The distance, this is seven one, the distance between God and the creature is so great that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their creator, yet they could never have attained the reward of life but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which he hath been pleased to express by way of covenant. So, We cannot merit everlasting life by our works because of the infinite distance that is between us and God, that is simply the difference between the creature and the glorious creator.

And then you add to that the fact that the creature, man, has fallen into sin. and merits not everlasting life, but everlasting punishment before and by the hand of God, that certainly speaks to the reality that our best works cannot merit eternal life at the hand of God. As well, it goes on to say, whom by them, that is the good works, we can neither profit nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins. So not only do we have the reality of this creative gap, this gap between the creator and the creature, and not only do we have the reality of the prevailing sinfulness of man before God, but let's just say we were to start from a clean slate, that now moving forward, this is impossible, but now moving forward, we're going to do perfectly the will of God. Well, that could not, as we see here, satisfy for the debt of our former sins. And so what is required? A Savior to save us. What is required? A Savior who only ever did the will of God perfectly and who died for our sins.

And notice as well here, but when we have done all that we can, we have done but our duty. So, So this is adding to, this is compounding man's problem. If we were to do everything perfectly. which we can't, which we won't, which we don't. If we were to do everything perfectly, that would simply be doing our duty as servants to God. That wouldn't be meriting anything. It would be simply doing that which we should do as those created in the image of God. We are unprofitable servants, and notice, because 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 judgment.

This illustrates, it just demonstrates, it expresses, or it should call to mind the folly of anyone ever seeking to rest upon their good works for any pinch of salvation, let alone salvation in its whole. And to say that even in the smallest degree, we can merit our salvation, steals from the glory of God. It steals from the glory to come. It steals from the perfect finished work of Jesus Christ, who is the only one who ever did the works requisite for salvation. Jesus Christ, our blessed savior.

And notice here we have the acceptability of good works that are grounded not in ourselves, but in Christ, the Christological exclusivity in the divine acceptance of good works. Paragraph six, yet notwithstanding the persons of believers, notice initially, and always, being accepted through Christ, their good works are also 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 accomplished with many weaknesses and imperfections. So we see here that our good works go through the mediator, if you will, the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is the one who mediates on our behalf. It's Christ's righteousness alone that avails before God, and whatever we do in joyful and free and cheerful obedience to the law of God goes through the mediator, Jesus Christ, and therefore they are sweet-smelling aromas in the sight of God. not by virtue of our doing them, and not by our virtue, but by the virtue of Christ alone. Are they acceptable in the sight of God? What a glorious mediator that we have, who came into this world, sinners to save, and who in his current session, amongst many other things that he does in his ascended glory, takes our works and presents them in himself before the Father, before God, as acceptable in the sight of God. The many imperfections and the many weaknesses are there, yet the Son is pleased is pleased to present them and the Father looks upon them, God looks upon them in his Son and is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere. I think this is something that we don't often think of with regards to the mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, with regards to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, that our good works are presented to God through the mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We rightfully think about Christ's life of obedience unto the whole law, his passive obedience and his death for our whole and soul righteousness, but let's draw our minds to the current session of Christ, his ongoing mediation, his ongoing intercession, for us as we do those things that are freely and cheerfully done in obedience to God, yet mingled with and marked by weakness and imperfection, he presents those things to God in himself as the mediator. Our prayers go up through his mediation, our good works are in essence washed in his intercession. we have the blessed Savior who is on our side.

And the last paragraph simply speaks to the works of unregenerate men, that they are not good works, properly speaking, though they may serve others and be useful to themselves, because they do not proceed from a heart purified by faith, and not done in the right manner according to God's commandments, nor to a right end the glory of God, they are nevertheless, or they are therefore sinful. and cannot please God. And so just a sort of a scattered and a brief survey of good works, the non-meritorious nature of them, but there is a utility for them. Remember what paragraph one says, though we must grip with an unbreakable grip, the doctrine of justification by faith alone through Christ alone and not by the works of the law, that doesn't mean we repudiate the works of the law, but rather they are fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith and by them we manifest our thankfulness, strengthen our assurance, edify each other, adorn our profession of the gospel, stop the mouths of adversaries, and glorify God. So are we to do good works? Absolutely, not in order to be saved, but having been saved by the perfect and exclusive works of Christ alone, we freely and cheerfully now do those things that are pleasing in the sight of God that he might be glorified.

Well, let's pray, and then if there are any questions, you can fire away, any comments. God, we thank you for this time together in your truth. We pray that you would help us, having been justified by faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone, that you would help us to do those things that are pleasing in your sight. We thank you that we've been enabled by your grace and for your glory to freely and cheerfully do those things that are pleasing. We do pray that you'd help us in this, help us to do those things that please you, help us not to see these things as burdens or to begrudge anything, but to see the glory of salvation wrought by Christ flowing from your amazing grace, and that we might return unto you our thankfulness, our gratitude, and that you might be glorified by your saints in this lower world, and we pray in Christ's name, amen.

Any questions, anything to add, Jim, or any curiosities out there? Yes, go ahead. You spoke of works of the law and works of righteousness. Would I differentiate between those two things? I think definitionally speaking, good works, and I think the confession defines them that way, is obedience to the law of God. So righteousness, doing works of righteousness is the same as doing the works of the law. It's the objective standard that we have for good works. So like we noted in opposition to or in contrast, in juxtaposition to sin, if sin is the lack of conformity or transgression of the law of God, good works are conformity unto and the non-transgression, the non-breaking of the law of God.

Yeah, you know, good, you know, you think of the first table of the law. A wicked work, a sin, is to not love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. You know, or let's just use something more practically speaking, proper worship. You know, a violation of the first and second commandments, sin, good works, the doing of the first and the second commandments. Same with love to neighbor. You know, a sin is a lack of conformity or a transgression of that second table of the law.

Good works would be the upholding of that. Yeah. When I think of good works, helping the little old lady with her groceries is a good work. Right. Going to church on Sunday, It doesn't seem like it fits categorically in the same category. That's probably my misunderstanding of what most people talk of as good work. It's like extraordinary things that are good. Yeah, I think that's very often how people think about good work. Both of those things are good works.

Yeah, I think we can take it for granted or we can just, you know, sometimes we have maybe in our minds that sort of categorical distinction where, okay, obedience to the law of God, but then those things that are, you know, good that we do that we don't think actually slot into that, but they do. That is obedience to love thy neighbor as yourself. You know, the helping of the old lady with the groceries the mowing of your neighbor's lawn, those sorts of things. We might think of those, sometimes I think we can trivialize those as well, but I think definitionally speaking, as the confession says, obedience to God's commandments, what he has revealed in his holy word. Yeah, anything to add, Jim? No? Yeah. Yeah.

Just adding on to that, so the text in Hebrews of encourage one another in works. Yeah, love and good works, yeah. The first focus should be God, like first table of the law and first worship. Is that connected? I think of it more as, like he says, the works that we do out of what God has done for us. It's more to do with the God than in that way we can encourage one another. No, it's a good observation.

It's a good work. to come to church, and you're actually doing, you're accomplishing the first and the second table in the sense that you're worshiping God, but you're also doing that good work to your neighbor, who in this case is your brother or sister in Christ, because you're encouraging them by your attendance, but also the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs is a good work exercise to your neighbor in the pew because it lifts them up in their most holy faith. You're singing to them the truth of God and all those sorts of things. You're showing that horizontal participation in the means of grace. Yeah, there's lots of trails, holy trails that we could travel down that speak to proper worship and proper attending to the means of grace as good work's done before God, for God, and also for neighbor, our fellow Christians. Okay, thanks everybody.