Doing Good
Preamble
For some time I have found that when I am out praying I have very intense experiences of the sheer/pure goodness of God that seems to be all pervasive and all penetrating (Hab 2:14). I believe that it is a foretaste of the new creation in which all the followers of Christ will share, at the End. Finding there’s actually a shortage of books on the topic of divine goodness I have prayed for an opportunity to share on it. I believe it’s appropriate to do this today.
Introduction
The place of “doing good/good works” in the Christian life is unfortunately controversial; I however think the Bible is clear on this subject and hope this clarity will come out as we progress. What is true goodness? From God’s point of view goodness is never motivated in terms of getting something for one’s self. Goodness looks to help others. A rather famous definition of goodness comes from Jonathan Edwards, “goodness is delight in communicating happiness.” Perhaps to be a little clearer, we might talk about goodness as delighting to share blessedness. “Blessedness” is enjoying the fullness of life as it was intended to be (Ps 112:1) under the divine favour (Ps 32:1). To understand what this means we must stay focussed on scripture and especially the testimony of Jesus, who said, “No one is good except God alone.” (Luke 18:19). To understand the goodness of God in order that we might be moved to communicate it through our good works depends on revelation. If we do not stay close to scripture our understanding of goodness/good works will be distorted by our personal experience of life, culture and even the Church.
God the Blessed One
The foundation for the scriptures understanding of the goodness of God in our lives is his own eternal blessedness. Paul speaks of “the glory of the blessed God…. the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality” (1 Tim 1:11; 6:15). The sheer goodness of God flows from his total self-satisfaction. To speak bluntly, God is totally happy with himself as Father, Son and Holy spirit. Being complete in himself he doesn’t need to do good; this means his acts of goodness can be totally trusted. The Lord has no ulterior motive for doing good. He does good solely because he loves us. Creation was an outflow of God’s desire to communicate himself outwardly as he has always shared and enjoyed himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit inwardly.
God Does Good
That God created out of nothing (Gen 1:1; Heb 11:3) means that whatever pleasure people derive from the world ultimately comes from divine goodness. Even though Paul is preaching to pagans long after sin entered the world this is the point he makes in Acts 14, the “living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them….did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”” (Acts 14:15, 17). The goodness of God in the world brings joy to the heart (Psalm 104:15; Ecclesiastes 3:12–13; Jeremiah 31:10–14). This is exactly its purpose.
Throughout the creation story in Genesis 1 two words are successively repeated, “God saw x was good” (vv. 4, 9, 18, 25) and “God blessed them” (vv. 22, 28, cf. 2:3). Immediately after the blessing and creation of humans we read “God saw it was very good” (v.31). This testimony of a good creation remains true, as Paul can say, “everything created by God is good” (1 Tim 4:4). The theme of blessed goodness is continued in Genesis 2. Eden (probably) means “delight” (Gen 18:12; Ps 36:8). The garden of Eden is a sort of pleasure park where the Lord and humanity can enjoy one another’s presence. The land was well watered with a plentiful food supply and the testimony, “the gold of that land is good” (Gen 2:12), leaves the impression that nothing was lacking from the blessing Adam enjoyed. In these first days Adam was to “work and keep” the Garden (Gen 2:15); these were the good works of a submissive son (Luke 3:38).
One thing however seemed out of place, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone.” Adam’s excitement at the fashioning of Eve and their marriage (Gen 2:18, 21-25) shows God is an all-provident Father. The first couple must have shared in God’s own judgement that everything was “very good”. Looking back on Genesis via Ephesians (5:31-32) we can see that the blessing and goodness Adam enjoyed through his companionship of Eve was prophetic of Christ and the Church. Though as not yet perfected in love the first couple created or good works that the Lord had planned for them (cf. Eph 2:10). These were works that they were called to walk in by faith in the promises of God. As unfallen, Adam and Eve would have lived constantly with an overwhelming sense of the goodness of God in all things as they delighted in God in one another and in all creation. I had a glimpse of this years ago wandering through the woods on Vancouver Island in Canada, the sense of God’s good provision in creation for Adam was overwhelming.
Fall
The temptation story in Genesis should not be localised in its implications. When Satan successfully attacked God’s goodness in providing for humanity, he launched a spiritual war that is cosmic in scope and apocalyptic in intensity. The outcome of this conflict that still rages between God’s goodness with his people and the forces of darkness has eternal dimensions.
The prohibition against eating from “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” is not arbitrary, “for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Gen 1:27). The consequence of disobedience is obviously presented as something Adam will not experience as “very good”. (I am sure that God’s grieved tone of voice, for he already had a fallen son, Satan (Job 1:6; 2:1), conveyed this.) It was necessary for the first people to be tempted, for only by resisting evil could they share in God’s way of knowing good and evil. Evil is seen/known to be what it is as a darkly powerful force only when it is resisted and overcome by persevering through faith in divine goodness. If Adam and Eve had done this, they would have shared in the way God knows good and evil. Satan however straight out lies, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”” (Gen 3:4-5). Through disobeying the Lord they did come to know good and evil (Gen 3:22), but only through denying the good and submitting to the evil.
Firstly we read of Eve, “when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” (Gen 3:6). Eve forgot that the whole realm of goodness and delight derived from God. At the root of Adam’s disobedience was a denial of the all-sufficiency of God’s fatherly goodness, the Lord who had so abundantly provided everything “to be enjoyed” (1 Tim 6:17) could not be trusted to impart a spiritual-relational wisdom that would maximise his enjoyment. Now fallen humans possess a sense of good and evil in a non-creaturely way (Gen 3:22). They are independent of God for their moral discernment. They can “call evil good and good evil” (Isa 5:20) since they have become their own judges of right and wrong. God however never withdraws his blessing on the world.
Even though diminished, creation keeps showing the goodness of God because it is still enjoyed by human beings. No-one however has ever repented since they sense some sort of all-surpassing beauty of nature. In fact, the goodness of God revealed in the created order simply means people are “without excuse” for their idolatrous behaviour; “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Rom 1:20; 25). Denying the eternal blessedness of God means separation from his eternal life (cf. John 17:3). If the general revelation of God’s goodness in creation is powerless to turn sinners back to him the Lord has a wise plan to redeem humanity and elevate us beyond anything that Adam and Eve could ever have achieved. The goal of salvation history is that men and women might be pleased with God alone and love his goodness for who he is rather than what he does. The first step in this plan is the calling of Abraham.
Israel
The blessings of God that were pronounced in Genesis 1 were now applied to the descendants of Abraham (Gen 12:2-3; 17:2, 6, 8; 22:16ff; 26:3-4, 24; 28:3; 35:11-12; 47:27; 48:3-4). Like Adam (Luke 3:38), Israel as a people is a “son of God” (Ex 4:22; Jer 31:9; Hos 11:1) commissioned to rule as the first man was, this time by defeating her enemies. The exodus is the beginning of a new Edenic phase for humanity, for the Promised Land is a “good land” (Ex 3:8; Deut 1:25; 4:21; 8:7; 9:7) and fruitful (Deut 8:7-10; 11:8-17) to be ruled under the good Law of God (Neh 9:13; Pss 19:8–9; Psalm 119:1; Romans 7:12). Obedience would assure blessing (Deut 11:27; 28:2; 30:16). Israel was called to become God’s new intended humanity. Yahweh is good in his faithful love to Israel (Ps 100:5); he gives life, delivers from evil and empowers his people. “Truly, God is good to Israel.” sings the psalmist (Ps 73:1). This goodness is forever (Pss 23:6; 106:1; 118:1; 136:1; Jer 33:1). God likewise expects good from his people, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic 6:8). True covenant faith was to be expressed by concern for the welfare of others. To bless others was to wish them good in life (land, progeny, protection, food, clothing, health). To bless in this way is a form of covenant love; to act for the benefit of someone else without respect to the advantage it might bring to oneself. The old covenant had cosmic dimensions just like Eden did. However, Israel failed to image the blessings and goodness of God just like Adam (Hos 6:7). They failed utterly to exercise a dominion that distributed the goodness of God to the world. This would be left to the reign of the coming Messiah whose universal reign will be a sort of restoration of Eden (e.g. Ps 72; Isa 11:1-9; Zech 9:10).
Jesus as the Ultimate Do-Gooder
Where Adam and Israel failed Jesus would succeed, because the Son of God is the ultimate doer of good. In his preaching to the Gentiles Peter sums up the ministry of Christ, “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38). This refers to Jesus many healings and deliverances for people from demonic powers. Jesus teaching in the Sermon on the Mount expounds the sort of good deeds which will invoke the blessings of God. This is clearest in the beatitudes. With their repeated, “Blessed are…” (Matt 5:3-12), they remind us of the original creation story. Whilst these divine blessings are reminiscent of Genesis 1, they should be understood as referring to not only favour from God in this world but also in the new creation. They are the blessings of the eternal kingdom of God which have already broken into this world, even in only in part. The radical dimension of the Beatitudes is that they come to people whose state of life would normally not be conducive to human flourishing. The poor in spirit, meek, mourning, reviled etc. are blessed because they are most like Jesus. Those who follow Jesus by submitting to his rule will be fully fulfilled and ultimately satisfied through accepting who Jesus is, that is, in positively responding to the gospel (Matt 11:6).
Jesus does not hold back in teaching directly about the importance of good works in revealing God. He commands us, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 5:16). These are radically contrasted with doing works for one’s own honour, as the Pharisees did (Matt 6:1). Works are only truly good when they are done so others might see the Lord through them. The works of which Jesus speaks are likely works of mercy done to relieve the needs of others (Matt 9:13; 12:7; 19:19; 22:39). Important as such works are, God’s greatest act of goodness is the cross.
The height of Jesus self-declaration of his identity as the only Son of God comes at this trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin. “the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”” (Mark 14:61-62). As “the Son of the Blessed” i.e. the Son of God, Jesus is the heir of every blessing, spiritual and material, heavenly and earthly. In him is concentrated all the goodness of the Father (cf. 2 Cor 1:20; Eph 1:3). It is this confession that incites the council to condemn Jesus to death for blasphemy (Mark 14:63-64).
The nature of the death of Jesus as the final manifestation of the goodness of God, but it is highly paradoxical. If goodness is communicating blessedness, the crucifixion seems to be the exact opposite, it seems to be the sharing of misery. This makes sense only if, to quote from Ezekiel, God takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezek 18:32; 33:11) and Jesus dies in our place as if he were one of us, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (Isa 53:4-5). At the point of the cry of dereliction, “My God…why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) there is no exchange of the pleasure of blessedness between the Father and Son in the power of the Spirit. In “becoming sin” for us (2 Cor 5:21) Christ enters into a true awareness of the fallen human condition, a condition illuminated to Paul through the Spirit when he says; “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.” (Rom 7:18 cf. 3:12). At the point of dereliction God’s goodness is completely obscured to Jesus. This must include, in his experience, the testimony of Romans 9:5 which is about Christ’s true status as the sum of all the blessings of good, “To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”
The cross however isn’t the end, the resurrection is the Father’s open declaration that Jesus is his obedient holy Son in whom he is fully pleased (Rom 1:4). In the resurrection and glorification of Jesus, a human being now fully shares in the eternal blessedness of God. this communication of blessing from Father to Son in Jesus means that the goodness of God has come to its highest possible expression through the greatest possible sacrifice. The teaching of the New Testament that Christians are to do good must be understood in this light.
A Comprehensive Vision
The New Testament perspective on our doing good is magnificent because it is eternal. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:10). In eternity, before the foundation of the world, when the Father loved his Son and chose his children in him (Eph 1:3ff.) he also prepared good works for us to do. They are as truly created and beautiful as the world was in the beginning (Ps 92:4; Eccl 3:11; Rom 1:20). These are the sort of works of divine craftmanship that will survive the Last Judgement (1 Cor 3:10-15). They are a part of what it means to be “predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Rom 8:29). In sharing in the character of God’s eternal grace in Christ, as the fruit of a new act of creation (2 Cor 5:16; Gal 6:15), they works are indestructible. “And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labours, for their works follow them!”” (Rev 14:13).
In the light of the resurrection the writers of the New testament had a vision in which, to quote 1 Corinthians 15, God will be “all in all” (1 Cor 15:28). An everlasting state in which the glory of the Lamb of God and his Father will fill everything (Rev 21:23). This is the background, and value, of a powerful experience I had some years ago.
I was struggling with what seemed at the time to be the impossible demands of the Christian life. Marriage and family life were OK, the church was growing but at the back of my mind there seemed always to be a sense that God’s demands were impossible to satisfy; how do you meet the expectations of a perfect person (Deut 32:4)?
Frustrated with this I started to call out to the Lord for help, and then one of the strangest experiences of my spiritual journey took place. Projected in front of me, almost like a hologram, I saw an image of the demands of my own earthly father. I knew instantly that what I had been feeling about the impossible demands of my heavenly Father were actually internalised expectations from my earthly dad. Immediately I repented of the hopeless effort to please this idol and asked the God and Father of Jesus to forgive me. A short time later I had a most marvellous experience of the goodness of God filling all the creation. A sense of the fatherly presence of God in all things had been restored. It will be in this sort of awareness, but limitlessly greater, of the unalloyed/pure goodness of God that we shall dwell forever.
Christians as Do-Gooders
The New Testament letters contains many commands to do good of which I can only refer to a few below. ( [John 10:32; Acts 9:36 (Dorcas); 14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. Rom 15:14; 2 Cor 9:8; 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Gal 6:9- 10); Col 1:10 10 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; 2 Thess 3:13 13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.;1 Tim 2:10; 5:10, 25; 6:18; Tit 1:16; 2:7, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Tit 3:14; Heb 10:24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works; 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Heb 13:16; James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. Also, see the references below.
“let us not grow weary of doing good” (Gal 6:19 cf. 2 Thess 3:13); “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Cor 9:8); “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:16-17). “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.” (Tit 3:8); “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” (3 John 11).
The frequency of these references and from multiple authors is overwhelming testimony to the importance of good works in the Lord. Why then aren’t all Christians totally committed to doing good in visible ways?
Suffering for Goodness
The sharp point in doing good is that it will require suffering. This was included in the context of the Beatitudes, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:10 cf. vv. 11-12) and it is the way of the cross. Peter, who once turned back from following Jesus to the cross, is emphatic about the cost of doing good. “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation….this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people… For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil…. therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” (1 Pet 2:12, 15; 3:17; 4:19). In the wise plan of God, the more intense the suffering for Christ’s kingdom, the greater the communication of goodness. In Christ and through the gospel mature believers know that there is a special joy in giving their lives away. “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.” (Phil 2:17-18). “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” (1 Pet. 4:12–13).
Controversy over Doing Good
The devil has sown great confusion in the Church over the place of good works. Whilst since the Protestant Reformation no major Christian teacher has taught that good works contribute to salvation, all have taught they express the reality of being saved.
“Good works do not make a man good, but a good man does good works.” “where there is no faith there also can be no good works; and conversely, that there is no faith where there are no good works…the essence of the entire Christian life consists in both. LW 34, 111; cf. 34, 16 (Luther)
“It is therefore faith alone which justifies, and yet the faith which justifies is not alone…” “when the point considered is the constitution and foundation of salvation, believers, without paying any respect to works, direct their eyes to the goodness of God alone….Conscience being thus founded, built up, and established is farther established by the consideration of works, inasmuch as they are proofs of God dwelling and reigning in us. Since, then, this confidence in works has no place unless you have previously fixed your whole confidence on the mercy of God, it should not seem contrary to that on which it depends. (Inst., III, 14, 18 Calvin)
“Although good works, which are the fruits of faith and follow on after justification, can never atone for our sins or face the strict justice of God’s judgment, they are nevertheless pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and necessarily spring from a true and living faith. Thus a living faith is as plainly known by its good works as a tree is known by its fruit.” (Anglican Article of Religion 12)
Negative thinking about acts of mercy is unbiblical, and a strategy of the devil to hinder the progress of the gospel.
The Most Good Work
Jesus saw his life as a great work to complete for the glory of the Father. “Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” (John 4:34). “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:4-5). Christ himself testifies that the work is finished in his death, “Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30). His mission was to glorify the Father by his completely obedient and submissive humanity as a Son to the point of death (cf. Phil 2:5-11). The scandalous message, to a worldly way of thinking, is that God is glorified through the suffering of his Son. ““Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”…31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.” (John 12:27ff.). When Judas had gone out to betray him, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.” (John 13:31-32). It is the work of voluntarily suffering the consequences of sin, including divine wrath, in love for the sake of the Father and a lost world that is the greatest ever possible work. “Do you know, my dear unsaved hearer, what God’s estimate of the gospel is? Do you not know that it has been the chief subject of his thoughts and acts from all eternity? He looks on it as the grandest of all his works.” (Spurgeon). It is a vision of this completed work that dominates the book of Revelation and draws out unlimited endless praise from the whole of creation. It is in the praise of such glorious grace (Eph 1:6, 12, 14) that we will dwell in unlimited joy (Jude 24) forever marvelling eternally at the goodness of God.
An additional spectacular dimension to the glorifying work of Christ is that it will involve his radiance through us; “when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.” (2 Thess 1:10). Not surprisingly, this is deeply connected to suffering for Christ’s sake (2 thess 1:4; Rom 8:17; Col 3:4).
Good Works at the Judgement
Revelation, intriguingly, talks about 2 comings of Jesus. not only the Second Coming, but also a coming to judge a local church (2:5, 16; 3:3). this is a frightening prospect, at least in the cases of the churches in Ephesus, Sardis and Pergamum to whom the warning is spoken. It is however in keeping with the constant refrain to six of the seven churches, “I know your works…” (2:2, 19, 23; 3:1, 8, 15). The judgement that is coming to the churches, if they do not repent according to the instructions of Christ, is a judgement on the basis of their deeds. This seems to parallel the judgement that was coming on the Corinthian Christians because of their misconduct at the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 11:27-32). The framework in which judgement is happening under the authority of Christ’s Lordship upon the people of God in this age isn’t one of doctrine but practice, works. What then of a future judgement n relation to works?
This is categorically taught in the New Testament; “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (2 Cor 5:10 cf. Matt 5:11f; 10:32f; 10:41f; *16:27; Rom 2:5-10; 1 Cor 3:10-15). This doesn’t mean that works contribute or disqualify in relation to salvation. It is best to understand this language with respect to believers as referring to how Christians are received by the Lord at the judgement only, not beyond that. After all, the parable of the workers in the vineyard teachers an equality of reward due to grace alone (Matt 20:1 –16). Welcome at the judgement, combined with love and gratitude, are adequate motives for Christian living.
Conclusion
The Church is called to make earth more like heaven (Matt 6:10), and good works are crucial to this call. Only through us can a broken world see the true nature of God’s goodness imaged through the cross. Human good works have only one legitimate function, to declare the good works of God. They are works which please God because they are taken into the good work of God and bear witness to his goodness. Works done in Christ (Eph 2:10) not only invoke praises to God (Luke 5:25-26; 7:16; 13:13; 18:43) they are “spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1) and are themselves acts of praise to God. More than this, astonishingly, they are deeds which God himself praises “‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master…. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’’” (Matt 25:21, 23, 34-36). “according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:11-12). In praising the works of his children, Father, Son and Spirit appreciating their own goodness expressed to us in Christ. The amazing power of the new covenant is that sinners can be “God’s fellow workers” (cf. 2 Cor 6:1).
As I was out praying about this sermon recently I could sense your good works bring the Father so much pleasure (Rom 12:1-2; 14:18; 2 Cor 5:9; Phil 4:18; 1 Thess 2:15; 4:1), and that experiencing and indwelling this pleasure is the source of the power you need to keep doing the good works of God in the energy of the Holy Spirit (John 15:11). The Father takes so much pleasure in seeing what Christ has achieved in us.
Why don’t the people of God commit whole-heartedly to doing good works, and why, even if they do, do they often lack a sense of what these works mean to the Lord? No doubt there are many reasons. Here is one. Speaking spiritually, Paul said that “true circumcision is a matter of the heart”, for such a person “praise is not from man but from God” (Rom 2:29). In this Paul is echoing Jesus, “you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44). If we think about how others might be thinking/approving we will never be able to sense the goodness of God as it really is.
Let’s turn solely to the Lord