Galatians: Lesson 7

Overview

Good Good Works and Bad Good Works

Not every action that looks virtuous is pleasing to God. Scripture draws a sharp line between works that flow from faith in Christ and works performed apart from him—what we might call "good good works" and "bad good works." The decisive criterion is not the outward action but the heart's connection to Jesus. As Jesus himself declares, "I am the vine; you are the branches… apart from me you can do nothing" John 15:4-5. Disconnected from Christ, even our most admirable deeds cannot please God.

This offends our reason. Surely the generous unbeliever, the upright neighbor, the disciplined moralist must please God by their decency? Yet Scripture renders a different verdict. The Pharisee who fasted twice a week and tithed scrupulously went home unjustified, while the tax collector who simply pleaded for mercy was the one declared righteous Luke 18:9-14. The rich young ruler claimed to have kept the commandments yet walked away from Christ Matthew 19:16-22. Paul counted his impeccable pre-conversion résumé as "rubbish" compared to knowing Christ Philippians 3:4-8. Isaiah confesses that even our righteous deeds are "like a filthy cloth" Isaiah 64:6. The principle is plain: "whatever does not proceed from faith is sin" Romans 14:23, and "without faith it is impossible to please God" Hebrews 11:6.

Yet this emphasis on grace alone has sometimes led to a serious misunderstanding—that Lutherans, or Christians more broadly, are indifferent to good works. Not so. Christ "gave himself for us… to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds" Titus 2:11-14. We are saved by grace through faith, not by works, but we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works" Ephesians 2:8-10. Jesus commands, "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" Matthew 5:16. And it is God himself "who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure" Philippians 2:13. No good work in this life is perfect—sin still clings to even our finest efforts—but the forgiveness won at the cross covers that imperfection, and God genuinely delights in the fruit faith bears.

Such works flow naturally, often unselfconsciously, from a heart joined to Christ. The righteous in Jesus' parable were even surprised to learn they had served their Lord when they fed the hungry, welcomed the stranger, and visited the sick Matthew 25:31-40. Like Esther, who was placed in the king's court "for such a time as this" Esther 4:14, every believer stands in a particular providence with daily opportunities to bless others—an encouraging word to a weary clerk, a check-in with a struggling neighbor, a moment of patience or kindness God has prepared in advance. So offer yourselves as living sacrifices Romans 12:1, not to earn what Christ has already won, but as the natural overflow of a redeemed life. To those you serve, you can simply say, "I was glad to help." To God you can say, "How kind of you, Lord, to make even me a blessing."

Transcript

Thank you. 3s

Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this opportunity to be in your house, to 5s

receive word and sacrament, and then to be sent forth. 11s

We praise you for the holy scriptures that you place in our hands. 14s

We ask, O Lord, today that you will bless our study to your glory in Jesus' name, amen. 19s

Well, I'd like to talk with you today about the difference between good, good works and bad 26s

good works. 35s

So there is a fundamental difference there. 37s

As you know, as you've been studying Galatians with Pastor Maloneck, that theme of works 41s

here is very prevalent, isn't it, in the book of Galatians. 46s

And in our study for today, we're not going to touch on one passage from Galatians here. 52s

Pastor Maloneck is going to continue that next week. 58s

So I'm going to pull back and get a scriptural view about this topic of why some works are good, good works, 61s

and some works are bad, good, good works. 72s

When you consider that topic, when you consider how to discern that between those two categories, 77s

the criteria that you need to look at is how those works are looked at from God's standpoint. 85s

In other words, what is God's perspective on whether good work is a good, good work, 94s

or whether a work is a bad, good work. 102s

So the question is, how does God view it? 106s

Let's start in the Gospel of John chapter 15, please. 111s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and then John. 115s

John chapter 15 verse 4. 118s

Jesus said, Abide in me as I abide in you. 132s

Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, 138s

neither can you unless you abide in me. 146s

I'm the vine, you are the branches. 149s

Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit because apart from me, you can do nothing. 153s

So the delineating point, the decision point of how you determine between those two categories is 165s

the connection to Christ. 172s

That's the decisive factor. 174s

If one is disconnected from Christ, in other words, if one is not in relationship with the 177s

Lord Jesus Christ, they cannot do a single thing. 183s

They can't bring forth a single work that will be pleasing in the eyes of God. 190s

Let me see that again. 199s

That if you are disconnected from Christ, in other words, if you're not a believer in the 201s

Lord Jesus Christ, even though in relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, you can't do one single work 206s

that will be pleasing in the eyes of God. 214s

That offends our reason, doesn't it? 218s

It offends our reason. 222s

Because we look at that and we say, there are people that give to the poor. 224s

There are people that give to the needy. 230s

There are people with good, noble intentions and they strive to lead honorable and decent lives. 233s

How in the world could that be an abomination to the Lord? 243s

But that is God's own verdict on the subject. 249s

Take a look with me, please. 254s

At the Gospel of Luke, chapter 18, Matthew, Mark, and then Luke, 255s

Luke chapter 18 will pick up in verse 9. 260s

He also told us parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous 278s

and regarded others with contempt. 283s

Two men went up to the temple to pray when a Pharisee and the other attacks collector. 287s

The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying to us. 293s

God, I thank you that I'm not like other people. 296s

I've always been struck by that prayer. 300s

Isn't that just quite the prayer? 302s

Isn't it? 306s

It's a prayer where you're giving yourself a compliment. 307s

God, I thank you that I'm not like other people. 310s

Thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 312s

I fast twice a week. 317s

I give a tenth of all my income. 319s

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, 321s

but was beating his breast and saying, 327s

God be merciful to me, a sinner. 330s

I tell you, this man went down to his home, 334s

justified rather than the other, 337s

for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, 339s

but all who humbled themselves will be exalted. 343s

And so is the first man. 348s

The Pharisee there says, 350s

I fast twice a week. 352s

I give a tenth of all of my income. 353s

As he says, but a wonderful person he was in the eyes of God. 357s

Were those works pleasing to God? 363s

No. 369s

Let's go to Matthew 19. 372s

Matthew 19, please, picking up in verse 16. 374s

Matthew 19, verse 16. 384s

Then someone came to him and said, 396s

Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? 398s

And he said to him, why do you ask me about what is good? 404s

There's only one who is good. 408s

If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments. 410s

He said to him, 415s

which ones? 416s

And Jesus said, 418s

you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, 420s

you shall not steal. 422s

You shall not bear false witness, 424s

honor your father and mother. 426s

Also, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 428s

The young man said to him, I've kept all these. 432s

What do I still lack? 435s

Jesus said to him, if you wish to be perfect, 438s

go sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, 441s

and you will have treasure in heaven, then come follow me. 444s

When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving 449s

for he had many possessions. 452s

See, all of the good things here, that in his own assessment, 458s

he had done, in his own assessment, he had kept the commandments here. 463s

All of the good things, accepting even the premise of which, 468s

obviously, is a false premise that he perfectly kept the commandments. 472s

But even if you accept the premise there of his own thinking, 476s

that he had done all of those things, 479s

were they pleasing in the eyes of God? 483s

Did God look and say, now, that's a good work that is pleasing to me? 486s

No. 492s

No. 495s

Let's go to Philippians, the third chapter. 497s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans. 500s

First and second, Corinthians, 503s

Galatians, Ephesians, and then Philippians. 507s

Philippians chapter three, 513s

picking up in verse four. 518s

Paul here is talking about himself. 525s

Preconversion. 529s

Philippians chapter three, verse four. 531s

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more. 534s

Circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, 540s

the Hebrew, born of Hebrews, as to the law, a Pharisee, as to zeal, 547s

a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 552s

Then those who he says, whatever gains I had, 561s

these I have come to regard as loss, or you can translate it trash, you can translate it rubbish, 565s

because of Christ. 572s

All of the good works that he had done before coming to faith. 576s

Were rubbish. 582s

And were trash. 585s

A work that appears to be good is bad in the eyes of God, if done apart from Christ. 588s

It's a bad good work. 602s

Luther's cohort, Philip Malanthin said this, 608s

all the works of men, however praiseworthy they appear, are all together vicious and are worthy of 614s

death. 629s

So does God then look down on the unbeliever and is delighted in the good work that they do? 633s

Because none of the things that the person does, because they are not in faith, 648s

is pleasing unto God. 654s

Let's start in Isaiah chapter 64, a good way to find Isaiah, 657s

is to go to the book of Psalms right in the middle, start working your way to the right, 662s

you're going to cross over Proverbs, 667s

please, yes, these, so on of Solomon, then you'll hit Isaiah. 669s

Let's go to 64 verse 6, Isaiah 64 verse 6. 673s

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. 691s

That catches your attention, isn't it? 707s

All our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. 710s

What's the problem then in all of this? 718s

Let's go to Romans the 14th chapter, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then Romans. 721s

Romans 14 verse 23. 729s

But those who have doubts are condemned if they eat because they do not act from faith. 746s

For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. 754s

Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. 765s

Let's go to Hebrews, the 11th chapter, a good way to find Hebrews, 771s

it's just go to book of Revelation, last book, slowly start working your way backwards, 775s

you're going to cross the John, you're going to cross the Peters, 780s

you'll hit James as you're going left, and then you're going to hit Hebrews. 783s

Hebrews 11 verse 6. 788s

And without faith it is impossible to please God, Hebrews 11 verse 6. 800s

And without faith it is impossible to please God. 811s

In our reason then, when the unbeliever does the good work, when the unbeliever feeds the poor, 818s

when the unbeliever is striving to live a virtuous life, God looks at those actions, those works. 825s

And as God look and say, that delights me, no, the Scripture says, that God looks upon that and says, 835s

it is impossible to please Him without faith. Therefore, because that person is disconnected from Christ, 844s

because that person is an unbeliever, God looks upon their works and is not pleased in them. 855s

If one is disconnected from Christ, there can then be a bad good work. 863s

Because God is not pleased in it. God is not pleased in it. Well, how about good works then? 874s

Let's turn the coin here. If we see then in Scripture about what connotes then a bad good work, 884s

that which is done apart from faith in Christ, then what is a good good work that we see in Scripture? 893s

Orthodox Lutheranisms emphasis on salvation by grace through faith alone because of Christ 904s

can't be overstated. It just can't be overstated. And because of that, Lutherans are accused by some 912s

outside of the Lutheran Church that we are against good works. Have you ever heard that? 920s

Where we have someone says, oh, I know about you Lutherans. You don't like good works. 927s

Do you? You don't like them. In fact, Luther was accused of this teaching. 933s

The accusation of Luther, the rumor that was going around was that Lutherans all lived like beasts. 940s

And that Lutherans had no government and no discipline and no marriage even. That Lutherans just 948s

lived like beast. Some Lutherans will even say, I'm a Lutheran. We don't believe in good works 957s

since we're saved by grace through faith. It doesn't matter what we do or if we do nothing at all. 971s

Have you heard that before? That comes sometimes from the lips of Lutherans who say, 984s

we're not in favor of good works. So therefore, it's not important if good works are done. 992s

Well, let's correct that, huh? Let's correct that. That's not what the Scriptures say. 1003s

Let's go to Titus chapter 2. Titus chapter 2. 1009s

Resufusions, Philippians, then you hit the teabrooks, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, 1016s

then you'll bump into Titus. Titus chapter 2 verse 11. Titus 2 verse 11. 1022s

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, 1035s

training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions and in the present age to live lives 1041s

that are self-controlled, upright, and godly. While we wait for the blessed hope in the manifestation 1048s

of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he 1056s

might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people, here it comes, of his own 1065s

who are zealous for good deeds. Zealous for good deeds. 1075s

Lutherans, and remember Paul was a Lutheran, right? That was a joke now. 1085s

I just want to. Okay, okay, okay, okay, we'll just leave that one alone then. All right, 1092s

Lutherans are very much in favor of good works, very much in favor of good works. Why? Because 1101s

God's in favor of good works. And what are the good works that the lights God, it is those works 1109s

from the believer who is in connection with Christ where it is the expression of faith. 1117s

These are works that are not done to earn our salvation, but as a result of our salvation. 1126s

Now there's no such thing as a perfect good work. No such thing as a perfect good work. Luther 1138s

one time a bit of friend, that his friend could not say the Lord's prayer without sinning. 1147s

And there was, I guess, money on the table. So his friend said, I'll take that bet. 1156s

So his friend starts to say the Lord's prayer and very quickly he stops. And Luther says, 1162s

well, why'd you stop? And he goes, because I was thinking of what I'd do with the money. 1169s

See, there's no such thing as a perfect good work. Even the best of works of us, 1175s

Christians, are tainted by imperfection of the sin that remains in us. 1185s

And the forgiveness that is won by the Lord Jesus Christ covers, even the sinfulness associated 1192s

with our good works. Do those good works that God brings forth from us as people of faith in the 1201s

Lord Jesus Christ? Does that please God? Absolutely. Does God also know that we will never do a perfect 1209s

good work when that old abumalleeve remaining us? Absolutely. Does the forgiveness one through the 1219s

cross of Jesus Christ? Does that forgiveness? Is it cover, even when we fall short in our good works? 1226s

Absolutely. We're commanded to do good works. Let's go to Matthew the 5th chapter, please. 1235s

Matthew chapter 5. 1243s

Verse 16. 1255s

In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory 1263s

to your Father in heaven. Oftentimes that's associated with the baptismal 1272s

liturgy, baptism in which God claims this is His own, gives the gifts of what has been one to the 1277s

cross in the resurrection. We're washed in the promises of God. And often associated with the 1284s

baptismal liturgy is an exhortation to good works. That's not to earn salvation, oh, that has been 1291s

given. That has been one for us. We are washed in those promises. We are forgiven. We've received 1299s

eternal life. We have received the Spirit. We have received faith. We've been made a member of 1305s

of the family. And now as forgiven and redeemed people, we are then called to live out that life 1310s

of faith in good works. We're commanded to good works and good works flow from faith. Let's go 1320s

to Ephesians the 2nd chapter. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Axon, Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, 1330s

Galatians and then Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8. 1341s

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing. 1353s

As you got, God didn't redeem us on the cross and then saying, now you need to come up with the 1364s

faith here to appropriate that as your own. No faith is a gift. And what we talked about 1368s

in the first hour this morning and the worship service about the hardness of the heart. That's 1375s

who we are by nature wanting. Absolutely nothing to do with God. We looked at the passage there 1381s

that we're born enemies of God, that our heart has to be transformed. And so to say that 1387s

Christ has died for us on the cross and then we have to come up with the faith that appropriates 1395s

that victory as our own. Our heart has no inclination for that. God transforms the heart. He turns us 1403s

into and sustains us as believers. By grace you have been saved through faith. This is not your own 1411s

doing. It is the gift of God, not the results of works so that no one may boast. But then look 1419s

what verse 10 says. So we're not redeemed by our works here. For we are what he has made us 1428s

created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. 1435s

Good works flow from faith. They flow from it. We can't help ourselves. They just come because of 1446s

God's work in our life because of that faith that God gives, that faith that expresses itself. 1458s

And are those good works pleasing to God? Absolutely. Why? Because we're connected to Christ. We are 1465s

people of faith. It's impossible to please him without faith. When we are in faith and that faith 1471s

expresses itself, God is delighted by that. In fact, it is that which God is bringing forth in us. 1477s

Let's go to Philippians, the second chapter. 1486s

Philippians chapter 2 verse 13. 1493s

There we read for it is God who is at work in you enabling you both to will and to work for his 1508s

good pleasure. So who is the author of this all? Who is the one that empowers this all? The one 1517s

that empowers it is God himself. Let's go to Romans 12 verse 1. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, 1527s

Acts, and then Romans. Romans 12 verse 1. 1538s

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God 1555s

to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual 1559s

worship. Present your bodies as a living sacrifice. That's not the image of sacrifices of ancient day 1570s

in the Old Testament. No, this is an offering of ourselves to the glory of God through which 1578s

we do that and say that which is pleasing unto him. God gives us the ability to do good works, 1584s

the desire to do them, and in his providence the opportunity to do them. And oftentimes it's just 1594s

done by by reflex. Let's look at Matthew chapter 25, Matthew chapter 25, verse 31. 1604s

When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, 1627s

then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, 1633s

and he'll separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 1639s

and he will put the sheep at his right hand in the goats at his left. 1646s

Then the king will say to those at his right hand, come, you that are blessed by my father, 1651s

inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 1656s

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. 1661s

I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing. 1667s

I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. 1671s

Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when was it we saw you hungry and gave you food or 1679s

thirsty or gave you something to drink? When was it we saw you a stranger and welcomed you 1684s

or naked and gave you clothing? When was it we saw you sick or in prison and visited you? 1689s

And the king will answer them, truly I tell you just as you did it to one of the least of these 1694s

who are members of my family, you did it to me. See that? Those are works that just flow from faith. 1699s

It's not works to somehow try and earn our way into the good graces of God. These are works that 1708s

simply happen. They simply flow from the life of faith, the gift of faith that is given. 1713s

A Lutheran should never ever say, I'm Lutheran, we don't believe in good works. 1721s

A Lutheran should never ever say that. But then you make the distinction, right? 1733s

Between what's a good good work and what's a bad good work? 1744s

Lastly, let's go to Esther, chapter four, Genesis, Old Testament, Genesis, Exodus, 1753s

Seviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Samuel, Kings, Kings, 1758s

Chronicles, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Ben, Esther, Esther, chapter four, verse 14. 1765s

If you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter. 1785s

But you and your father's family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity 1794s

for just such a time as this. Here Esther is reminded of the place that God had placed her 1802s

in terms of interceding for her people with the king and she saw it as an opportunity 1813s

to serve God. She saw it as an opportunity to do works that were pleasing unto him. 1820s

What a joy and a privilege it is, right, as Christians, that God puts us into those situations constantly, 1832s

constantly. There will be opportunities for you today to do good works, to do good works. 1842s

Not the earner salvation, the expression of your faith. And God is going to place you in those 1851s

opportunities. Perhaps it's the checker at the grocery store who needs an encouraging word. 1857s

Because there's just been one endless stream of people that like to point out all the things 1867s

that are wrong in the store. And somehow it's his or her fault on that. And you are placed there 1873s

to be able to give an encouraging word. It's the neighbor that you haven't seen in a while and you 1881s

inquire about how they're doing and you find out that they've been having some health difficulties 1888s

or some family difficulties and you have an opportunity for conversation with them. That's a good 1893s

work. That's a God-pleasing work. See, God always puts us in those situations and may God give us 1899s

eyes to see those opportunities that God and His providence arranges for us to be able to say, 1908s

this is an opportunity to minister. It's an opportunity to minister. It's an opportunity to 1915s

bless someone with a good work, with a good work. It's a very, very Lutheran thing to do. 1921s

And to those you help, you can say, I was glad I could help. And to God you can say, 1933s

how kind of you God, to make of me, even of me, of blessing. Well, Pastor Maloneck will be back 1941s

next week. She'll continue on in the study of Galatians. God bless. 1953s