Featured What Are Good Works ?

The edifying of the body of Christ
Ephesians 4:12-16

 

The Biblical Definition of “works”



In the previous chapter it was established that Gods’ definition of “good” works are works that do not originate from fallen men. Good works are works that originate from a sinless source. Jesus Christ produced good works as He was a sinless source. His sinless works are the sole and only basis for our justification. Within regenerated men good works originate with the power of the Spirit of God from a sinless source (inward new man). This is the sole and only basis for our progressive sanctification.


However, what constitutes “works”? Many define “works” according to the Rabbinical definition during the days of Christ. They define “works” by external manifest actions.


Jesus spent much of his time refuting this externalized definition of works. In the Sermon on the Mount, he contrasted the traditions of the Rabbinical authors (traditions of the elders) to the proper interpretation of the Moral Law. When speaking of the oral traditions of the elders he said, “you have heard it said by them of old time.” He did not say “thus saith the Lord” or “It is written” but rather you have “heard” referring to the oral traditions of the elders. In contrast, as God in the flesh, he said, “but I say unto you” which is synonymous with “thus saith the Lord” as he claimed to be Lord over all.


He defined works to be the internal determinate actions of the heart and mind regardless if such internal determinative actions are ever manifested in words or physical deeds of the body. According to Jesus “lust” in the heart broke the law of adultery regardless if any kind of physical manifestation occurred or not. According to Jesus, evil words violated the law of murder regardless if any kind of physical actions accompanied those words or not. Evil works are characterized by the determinate actions of the heart and mind alone whereas bodily actions (words and deeds) are not necessary to define “evil” or “bad” works.


Later, Jesus speaking of the same invalid oral traditions that evil works began with the determine actions of the heart:


“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” – Mt. 15:19


Evil thoughts are determinate thoughts that may manifest themselves in evil actions such as “murders, adulteries, forniccations, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies” or may not as God looketh upon the heart.


And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. – Gen. 6:5


Thus, the Biblical definition of works is characterized by the activity of the human will as the determinate expression of the heart and mind.


When Paul characterized salvation to be “by grace through faith” he further denied it was “of works” but rather a creative work by God – “not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works….”

The new birth is said to be of “the will…of God” and not of the “will of man” (Jn. 1:13; Jms. 1:17) because the activity of the human will is what characterizes the very Biblical definition of works.


However, many theologians wrongly treat the human will when it comes to choosing Christ as either some kind of entity independent of mind or emotions or something other than what epitomizes the Biblical center and characterization of works.


The will has no separate existence from the mind and emotions of man. It is simply the chosen intent of the mind or emotions. It has no existence apart from the mind and heart.


Indeed, both Greek terms used to translate “will” in the New Testament are descriptive of intellectual and emotional intent. The determinate action of the mind is represented by the Greek term boulomai (translated “will”) or the determinate intent of the mind. The emotional intent of the heart of man is represented by the Greek term thelomai (translated “will”).


The human will is simply the inseparable intent of the human heart. The intent of the human heart is determined by the moral state of the human heart. If the moral state of the human heart is evil so is its fruit. If the moral sate of the human heart is good so is its intent. Jesus states this simple truth as follows:


Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. – Mt. 12:33-35


Let’s consider the above text carefully. Jesus said “make the tree good….or else make the tree corrupt.” First, he defines the “tree’ as representing the human heart (“of the heart…..of the heart”) and its fruits representing its moral condition. Second, he is not suggesting that man can determine or “make” his own heart either “good” or “corrupt” but rather he is demanding there are only two possible contrasting alternatives to consider. You cannot have it both ways, so “make” it one or the other. Third, according to the condition of the heart it will bring forth that which corresponds to its moral condition “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh….out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things….out of the evil treasure of the heart bringeth forth evil things.” Therefore, the nature of the heart determines the nature of what comes forth from that heart not vice versa. They teach that an evil heart can bring forth faith as its fruit. Fourth, by divine omniscience he reveals the nature of their heart “ye being evil” cannot bring forth good things. He is clearly teaching that the state of the heart rather than what comes forth from the heart determines their nature.


Jesus is clearly teaching that the only things that can come forth out of the heart are those things that are consistent with the moral nature of the heart. Good things cannot come from an evil heart. Arminians teach the very opposite. They claim that saving faith can come forth from an evil heart. Indeed, they claim that such faith is the basis for God changing the evil heart to a good heart. Jesus is explicitly denying that as faith is a “gift” of God (Philip. 1:29; Eph. 2:8) and is “of grace” (Rom. 4:15) and Jesus is both the author and the finisher of saving faith (Heb. 12:2) as saving faith is the work of God (Jn. 6:29).