Posts Tagged "good works"

As a pastor, I often get questions of a more theological nature. Thursdays are the day I like to post some on the blog. Enjoy! —Pastor Phillip Here’s an e-mail I received a few days ago about Matthew 22:1-14. Would like any thought you have on this Scripture. I have heard many things over the years and still do not feel I understand all that was going on here. As always, this is a great question, and let’s start with the context.   Four Conversations Starting in Matthew 21:23, we see four interchanges between Jesus and the religious leaders of His day, the Pharisees. They are all gathered at the Temple in Jerusalem, and in Matthew 21:23, the Pharisees start the sequence by challenging Jesus’ authority to teach and minister.  Jesus...

Do you ever struggle with “knowing the will of God?” “[We pray] that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will (in all spiritual wisdom and understanding) so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, (fully pleasing to Him), bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” -Colossians 1:9b-10 (from the Amplified Bible, emphasis added) Ask any Christian if they want to know “the will of God” for their lives and almost all will say yes. Well, good news: here it is, the will of God, plain and simple. What pleases God?  When His people “bear fruit” (produce tangible results) in “every good work,” AND when they “increase in the knowledge of God.” That’s...

Sometimes what we need most is not easy answers, but deeper questions. The other day, I watched homeless people being served by Christians. From my perch high atop a parking garage in Fort Lauderdale, FL, I could see the crowd gather, hear the coordinator pray as she started the feeding time and watch as all of these people —with all of their various stories and backgrounds— came together for a moment, then went their separate ways, scattered around the park. It was both moving and troubling to me. Moving, because of the way I saw the Christians sincerely trying to help and show love in Jesus’ name.  Troubling because I couldn’t help but wonder how much real help was being provided. How will this event help the homeless people for the long-term,...

What do motives matter when we do things for God? “For whatever does not come from faith is sin.” -Romans 14:23b It is quite possible to do godly thing for ungodly reasons, and the Bible calls this sin. It is quite possible to do things with godly motives and still sin. Why? God never places on people the ultimate responsibility of results. That’s up to Him. Nor does He put primary importance on behavior. Rather, His greatest desire and demand from us is belief; belief that exalts His name by trusting His character. When we act without a heart of faith, we are in essence saying , “Okay God, I will serve and obey You…but not sure I really trust You.” This is fear-based, duty-driven, and antithetical to the Gospel. Let us rather...

What do earrings and good works have in common? In his pastoral letter to his protégé Titus, at least five times Paul stresses the importance of “good works,” that it is for this purpose that we were saved. He says that the reason for this is that we might “adorn the gospel.” To adorn something is, of course, to dress it up, to add to it something external that highlights its beauty. An earring does not affect the nature of an ear or change its essence, but it “adorns” it, drawing attention to what is already there. Too gaudy an adornment and it will distract. Too pale, and it will diminish. Let us work to show the Gospel in the best light possible with both our best words, and best works as well. Did you like this post?