Good Works Or Bad Works,
Both Are Works!
By David J. Stewart | September
2014
Hebrews 6:1, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ,
let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of
repentance from dead works,
and of faith toward God.”
There are two types of works, good works
and bad works, but they are BOTH works! You can corrupt the Gospel
easily by either requiring good works to be saved, or requiring that a
person cease from bad works to be saved. Either way works (human effort) is
involved.
Here are several ways that the Gospel is being
corrupted in churches today:
- Require good works to be saved (Roman
Catholics, Mormons and Seventh-Day Adventists teach this)
- Teach that salvation is by grace through
faith, but good works are also necessary (Jehovah's Witness teach
this)
- Require a commitment to cease from bad
works prior to faith to be saved (Jack Chick teaches this)
- Require a commitment prior to faith, to
cease from bad works after saved (David Cloud teaches this)
- Teach that a person's faith in Christ is not
valid until good works are performed (Chip Ingram and William Lane
Craig teach this)
- Require a person to stop bad works to
be saved (Billy Graham, Ray Comfort, Aiden Tozer and John MacArthur teach this)
Do you see my friend how all of these “formulas”
(as heretic C.S. Lewis called them) hinge upon or involve human effort?
These are all the “dead works” spoken of in Hebrews 6:1. You don't repent
from your sins to be saved; but rather, from DEAD WORKS. Repentance is
changing your mind about what you want to do to get to Heaven, to what God
says you must do to get to Heaven.
On page 114 of the excellent book by Michael
Patrick Bowen titled, “I NEVER
KNEW YOU,” the author provides an excellent explanation of true Biblical
repentance...
“Repent, as Christ meant it to be in
terms of salvation, means to change your mind from trusting in what you
can do for God to trusting only in what He can do for you.”
SOURCE: Michael Patrick Bowen, a quote from
the awesome book, “I NEVER
NEW YOU” (Page 114)
Now
let's take a look at what the Lord Jesus Christ said concerning WORKS for
salvation in John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do,
that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them,
This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath
sent.” The only “WORK” that is required for salvation is
that you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen! How you choose to live
after you are saved has absolutely nothing to do with the gift of eternal
life.
Ray Comfort is the most dangerous kind of false
prophet, because he hides a lie between two truths. The half-truth is the
most effective lie, because in part it can be defended with incontestable
logic. In fact, it is challenging to expose such false prophets, because
most people have difficulty seeing the problem. Author Mark Twain said,
“It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been
fooled.” So true! The Devil is sneaking heresies into our Independent
Fundamental Baptist churches by the hour. Don't take my word for it, listen
to Pastor Jack Hyles say it himself in this awesome sermon titled, “Our
Mixed-Up Fundamental Christianity.”
The issue here is adding human effort to faith, or
using human effort as a validation of faith. Human effort has no place in
the salvation of God. According to Mr. Comfort in the preceding video, a
professed Christian who continues in sin may not be saved. The truth is that
any professed Christian may not be saved, whether living a righteous
life or living in gross immorality. I cannot look at you or anyone else and
determine whether or not you are saved, apart from the direct testimony from
your own mouth.
Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into
living the Christian life without ever being born-again. Salvation is not
doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through
receiving Him by faith.
"But
there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall
be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies..." —2nd Peter 2:1
Ye Must Be Born Again!
| You Need HIS
Righteousness! |
Believe The Gospel
