The Lutheran Middle 5
Overview
The Lutheran Middle: Bad Good Works and Good Good Works
What makes a work "good" or "bad" in God's sight is not how impressive or charitable it appears to human eyes, but whether it flows from faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus makes this decisive in John 15:4-5: "Apart from me you can do nothing." A branch severed from the vine cannot bear fruit, no matter how lovely it may look. Reason recoils at this — surely the kind acts of unbelievers must count for something before God? But reason must be the servant of the Word, not its judge. God's verdict is the only verdict that matters, and His verdict is clear: Isaiah 64:6 calls our righteous deeds "a filthy cloth" when offered apart from Him.
Scripture illustrates this with sobering clarity. The Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14 fasted and tithed, yet went home unjustified because he trusted in himself. The rich young man in Matthew 19:16-22 cataloged his obedience but could not let go of his true god — his possessions. Paul, who by every external measure was "blameless" under the law, came to regard all his religious credentials as rubbish "in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ" Philippians 3:4-9. These are bad good works — works performed to justify oneself, done apart from faith. They cannot please God, however noble they appear.
Yet Lutherans are sometimes wrongly accused of being against good works altogether, as though salvation by grace through faith makes our conduct irrelevant. Scripture will not allow this error. Titus 2:11-14 says Christ redeemed us to purify "a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds." Ephesians 2:8-10 makes the order plain: we are saved by grace through faith, not by works — and yet we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works." Matthew 5:16 calls us to let our light shine so that others may glorify the Father, and Titus 3:14 urges us to devote ourselves to good works to meet urgent needs. Good good works are the natural overflow of faith — not done to earn God's favor, but to please the One who has already redeemed us. They will never be perfect in this life (we cannot even pray the Lord's Prayer without our minds wandering), but the same blood of Christ that covers our sin also covers the imperfection clinging to our best efforts.
The Christian life walks a middle road. On one side lies the ditch of works-righteousness — striving to earn what God gives freely. On the other side lies the ditch of license — pretending that grace makes obedience optional. The middle is faith active in love: lives offered as living sacrifices Romans 12:1, hands at work serving "the least of these" Matthew 25:31-40 almost without realizing it, because faith is, as Luther said, an active and busy thing. When God uses you to bless another, the response is simple gratitude — first to the neighbor: "I was glad I could help"; and then to God: "How kind of You to make of me a blessing for others."
Transcript
Well today I want to take a look with you at the middle road between good good works and bad good works 0s
The middle road between good good works and bad good works 8s
When you consider bad good works 14s
It's important to keep in mind that we are looking at this subject from how does God 17s
regard this? What is the consideration that God gives? 23s
The question then is is what works are bad and what works are good in the eyes of God? 28s
Let's start in John the 15th chapter 38s
Matthew Mark Luke and then John John chapter 15 and 43s
And we'll begin with verse 4 49s
There Jesus says abide in me as I abide in you 69s
Just as the branches cannot bear fruit by itself 75s
Unless it abides in the vine 81s
Neither can you unless you abide in me 83s
I am the vine you're the branches 88s
Those who abide in me and I and them bear much fruit because apart from me you can do nothing 92s
Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers such branches are gathered thrown into the fire and 101s
burned 111s
For a work to be good or bad in the eyes of God 113s
The decisive point is whether or not the person is connected to Christ 120s
For a work to be either good or bad it depends upon the relationship with Jesus Christ 127s
The one who is 134s
Unconnected to Christ in other words not in a faith relationship with the Lord Jesus they are 135s
Unconnected with Christ 143s
Cannot do a 145s
Good work in the eyes of God. Let me say that again 148s
If a person is unconnected to Christ if they are an unbeliever 153s
They cannot do that which will be pleasing in the eyes of God 157s
Well our reason is offended by that isn't it? 165s
Defended by is that's not how we reason things out and remember 169s
Reason is to be the servant of the word the word is that which forms our reason 174s
Not the other way around 181s
But reason divorced from the word 183s
Starts to reason this through and says something like this 187s
People give to the poor 192s
They help the needy 194s
They have good and noble intentions when they strive to live decent and honorable lives 197s
How can that be an abomination to the Lord? 204s
Reason says if the non-believer does good things 208s
Then that would be good in the eyes of God 214s
But that's not God's verdict isn't not God's verdict and 221s
God's verdict 226s
Is all that matters 228s
Let's turn to Luke the 18th chapter 231s
Matthew Mark 235s
Luke and John Luke chapter 18 verse 9 238s
The main point again works are bad 247s
When they're done apart from faith in Christ works are bad when they are done apart from faith in Christ 250s
We may look at that and say oh how wonderful the unbeliever did that good thing 259s
But from God's perspective does God see it as good? 266s
Let's go to Luke chapter 18 verse 9 276s
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves 281s
That they were righteous and regarded others with contempt 286s
So there's your audience 291s
Two men went up to the temple to pray one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector the Pharisee 293s
Standing by himself was praying thus God. I thank you that I'm not like other people 301s
Thieves rogues adulterers are even like this tax collector I 307s
Fast twice a week I give a tenth of all my income 312s
But the tax collector 318s
Standing far off would not even look up to heaven but was beating his breast and saying 321s
God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you this man 326s
Went down to his home justified rather than the other 333s
For all who 338s
Exalt themselves will be humbled but all who humble themselves 340s
will be exalted 344s
Okay, look again at verse 11 347s
The Pharisee standing by himself was praying thus God. I thank you that I'm not like other people thieves rogues adulterers or even like this tax collector 351s
Then he says I fast twice a week I 359s
give a tenth of 364s
all my income 366s
Now is this a person in a faith relationship with the Lord Jesus nope because verse nine says he told this parable to some who trusted in 368s
Themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt 377s
So the fact then that he fasted twice a week that he gave a tenth of all his income 384s
Is that good then in the eyes of God? 392s
Nope 397s
Let's look at Matthew chapter 19 404s
Matthew 19 408s
picking up in verse 16 410s
Matthew 19 verse 16 then someone came to him and said teacher what good deed must I do to have eternal life? 427s
And he said to him why do you ask me about what is good? 437s
There's only one who is good 441s
If you wish to enter into life keep the commandments 444s
He said to him which ones and Jesus said you shall not murder you shall not commit adultery you shall not steal you shall not bear false witness 449s
Honor your father and mother also you shall love your neighbor as yourself the young man said to him 456s
I've kept all these what do I still lack? 462s
I mean, that's an amazing statement is it not that here Jesus points out the law and he goes 466s
This is great news. Done it done it. I knew I was a good person 471s
And and this just simply echoes it as I catalog my life my goodness. I am impressed with myself 477s
Jesus said to him verse 21 if you wish to be perfect 488s
Go sell your possessions and give to money to the poor and you'll have treasure in heaven then come follow me 492s
When the young man heard this he went away grieving for he had many possessions 500s
You see he couldn't even get past the first commandment, right? 506s
You shall have no other gods and 511s
Jesus exposes 513s
His God 515s
Just a little aside when you are when you are witnessing to someone 518s
If you if you start getting into into theological arguments about the existence of God and and and all of that 525s
Okay, so sometimes that 532s
That can be that can be helpful 535s
But but go after how they understand their condition before God that's where you want to go 537s
It's where you want to go 545s
So for example that Jehovah witness comes to the comes to the door, okay? 547s
In in vitamin vitamin or if you can't it can't at that time make an appointment with him or 552s
Or to come on back so so you can witness don't don't don't say to them. I'm a Christian 559s
Because they'll say we'll so are we so we see you have to expose the error 567s
So set up a time where they'll come back or or take the time and and witness to them and you don't need to get into 572s
Into all the itty it is synchristes for example of Jehovah witness theology in order to in order to witness you don't have to do that 579s
Go after how they understand themselves as being right before God 588s
Just go there let's go there and 594s
Say if God is perfect and God will judge 596s
How do you understand your security before God so that heaven would become a reality for you? 601s
Just go right there at the heart of it because because there's no grace there that they fall back on 609s
There's no grace. It's based upon their system of works righteousness and so when you expose that in the end 617s
If they're honest sometimes they'll say 625s
Why I'm not sure I can't be sure 630s
See now you've exposed their need and 634s
So you go right after the need and expose the fact that they can't earn their way 638s
Into salvation and now you share the gospel 644s
You know if you if you want to get into the itty of synchristes of Jehovah's Witnesses and how they misuse scripture and all that 649s
Sure sure, but just get right at the heart 655s
And you expose 659s
Their fundamental need that's what Jesus is doing right here, isn't he? 660s
You say if you want to be perfect 665s
Because remember the standard for heaven is not 668s
70% 673s
Right 675s
No, it's perfection. Well, we can't be perfect. How are we made perfect? 676s
We're made perfect where the perfect righteous life of Jesus Christ. We are clothed in it 680s
It is solely by the grace of God. What Jesus does here is expose the need 686s
And the person walks away 694s
Person walks away 696s
Sometimes that will happen 698s
Sometimes that will happen 701s
But what you do is you expose the need so the gospel can be shared 703s
Here the person thought that their good works 709s
Were good good works 713s
And Jesus simply says 717s
Nope 720s
They're bad good works now. Of course he was living in the naivete that he wasn't a sinner with regard to the commands that Jesus 722s
had pointed out 729s
But Jesus points out here 730s
That his whole life was bad in the eyes of God because it had been done 732s
apart 737s
From Christ. Let's go to Philippians the third chapter Matthew Mark Luke John, Axon, Romans 739s
1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians and then Philippians Philippians chapter 3 745s
And notice halfway through verse 4 there of chapter 3 762s
Paul writes if anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh 769s
I have more circumcised on the eighth day a member of the people of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin a Hebrew born of Hebrews as to the law of 772s
Pharisee as to zeal a persecutor of the church as to righteousness under the law 781s
Blameless you see there is one who looks at all of his works and says these are good I have made myself righteous 787s
verse 7 yet 796s
Whatever gains I had 799s
These I have come to regard as 801s
loss 805s
because of 806s
Christ more than that I regard 808s
Everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for his sake 811s
I have suffered the loss of all things and I regard them as 820s
rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him 824s
Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law 830s
But one that comes through faith in Christ the righteousness from God based on faith 834s
All the good works that he had done before 842s
He was brought to faith he describes as 847s
rubbish 852s
rubbish 854s
because apart from 856s
Christ a 858s
work that appears to be good is 860s
Bad in the eyes of 863s
God 866s
Let's go to Isaiah 64 866s
Good way to find Isaiah in the in the Old Testament 870s
Open up to the middle and you'll land in the Psalms then start moving towards the New Testament 873s
Proverbs ecclesiastical song of Solomon then you hit Isaiah 879s
Isaiah 64 883s
Verse 6 886s
Isaiah 64 verse 6 888s
And remember how does God not our reason how does God look at good works in a person apart from faith 900s
Isaiah 64 verse 6 we have all become like one who is unclean and 912s
All our righteous deeds are like a filthy 920s
cloth 928s
Like a filthy cloth Malankean a cohort of Luther wrote this quote 930s
All the works of men 937s
However praise worthy they appear are all together vicious and are worthy of death 940s
See what he's getting after 950s
It's getting after apart from Christ apart from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is impossible 952s
to please 959s
God 961s
Okay, well what about good? 963s
Good works so we've taken a look at bad good works and bad good works are any works that's done apart from faith 966s
Any works of which we are trying to justify ourselves make us righteous before God 975s
Well, what about good good works? 981s
Orthodox Lutheranism 985s
Has the emphasis on 987s
Salvation by grace through faith 990s
That is at the heart of Orthodox Lutheranism 993s
One simply can't can't overstate it 999s
Because of that Lutherans are accused of something 1003s
Lutherans are accused by many outside of the Lutheran Church as teaching that we are against good works 1008s
Because our emphasis is correctly so on we are justified before God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 1016s
By grace by God's action the accusation upon Lutherans is that we are against good works 1023s
Luther was was accused of this in fact the rumor with regard to Lutherans was that we all lived like beasts 1031s
with no government no discipline and no marriage 1040s
That was the rumor in Luther's day with regard to 1045s
to to Lutherans 1049s
Some Lutherans even say 1051s
I'm a Lutheran 1054s
We don't believe good works in good works since we are saved by grace through faith 1057s
It doesn't matter they say what we do if we do anything at all 1063s
Well, there's certainly error there isn't it is it's not what the scripture says 1073s
Let's go to Titus chapter 2 Titus chapter 2 1077s
1st and 2nd Corinthians Galatians Ephesians 1082s
Philippians Colossians then you hit the tea books 1086s
1st and 2nd Thessalonians 1st and 2nd Timothy and then Titus Titus chapter 2 verse 11 1090s
For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all 1108s
Training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions 1114s
And in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled upright and godly 1119s
Well, we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ 1126s
He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us 1135s
from all in iniquity and 1139s
Purify for himself a people of his own 1142s
Who are zealous 1146s
for 1148s
Good 1150s
deeds 1151s
zealous 1153s
for good deeds there is such a thing then as a good 1155s
Good work a good work these are works not 1161s
Done in order for us to earn our salvation 1166s
They are works done in accordance with the ten commandments 1171s
their works done 1177s
Whose whole goal is simply to please God who loved us and gave himself 1179s
For us that's a good 1186s
Good 1189s
work 1191s
See what's a bad good work a bad good work is something that you do to try and earn your way into the good graces of God a 1192s
Bad good work in the eyes of God is anything 1199s
Good done apart from faith remember how gee how God describes it 1204s
It's all it's all just filthy rags. It's all just filthy rags 1209s
The good good work is the expression of faith not done to redeem ourselves done in accordance with the laws summed up in the ten commandments 1213s
Done whose whole goal is not to redeem yourself, but simply to please the one who has 1223s
Redeemed you now 1230s
Is there any such thing as a perfect good work? 1232s
Is there anything such thing as a perfect good work? 1236s
No 1240s
Why because we're all sinners right and everything we do is 1241s
Tainted by sin Luther had a had a bet with a with a friend 1247s
He made a bet that his friend could not pray the Lord's prayer without sinning 1254s
So he made a monetary bet here, okay? 1262s
Not that we advocate monetary betting here, but but Luther said I'll bet you are and and we don't know what what the amount was 1265s
I bet you cannot say the Lord's prayer without sinning so the the person starts it and then he stops 1272s
Luther says why'd you stop and he says because I was thinking of what I do with the money 1281s
Lord's prayer that's a good thing to do 1293s
We can't even pray the Lord's prayer right 1296s
Without our sin being manifest even the best of works are tainted by the imperfection of sin 1300s
But the forgiveness that is ours to the Lord Jesus Christ 1310s
For the stains on our good work 1314s
Is also covered by the blood of Christ 1318s
God commands good works. Let's go back to Titus chapter 3 1324s
verse 14 1329s
And let people learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs so that they may not be 1335s
unproductive see these are people of faith living out the gracious gift of faith 1346s
There's a call to good works. That's a good good work in the eyes of God done by the person of faith 1353s
Let's go to Matthew chapter 5 1362s
Verse 16 1365s
Matthew chapter 5 verse 16 1369s
In the same way 1384s
Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven 1387s
That's part of our baptismal liturgy, isn't it by the way in which the one who has been graciously claimed in the waters of 1397s
baptism and given the gifts of faith and forgiveness and life eternal and the Holy Spirit being made a member of the family 1404s
Then is now called to the expression of the faith of which is also a gift of God 1411s
Good works flow 1421s
Can't help it. Let's go to Ephesians chapter 2 Matthew Mark Luke John, Axon, Romans first and second Corinthians 1425s
Galatians and then Ephesians Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 1432s
Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 1443s
Paul writing out the inspiration the spirit writes four by grace you have been saved through faith and 1450s
This is not your own doing it is the gift of God 1458s
Not the result of works so that no one may boast 1463s
For we are what he has made us 1468s
Created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared before him to be our way of life 1471s
See the swing there 1480s
There are the bad 1482s
Good works there the good good works and 1484s
Having been brought to faith we have been created 1488s
given faith for the purpose 1495s
Of doing that which is good and it is good in the eyes of God because it comes from 1498s
Let's go to Romans the the 12th chapter 1508s
Romans chapter 12 verse 1 1512s
I appeal to you therefore brothers and sisters by the mercies of God 1527s
To present your bodies as a living sacrifice 1532s
Holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual 1535s
worship 1541s
God gave us whatever ability we have to do good works God gave us the desire to do them and God gives us the 1543s
Opportunities to to do them and good works are just done by 1551s
reflex 1559s
Remember what Luther said about it faith is an active and a busy thing 1561s
So they just happen let's go to Matthew chapter chapter 25 1567s
Matthew chapter 25 verse 31 1573s
When the son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him then he will sit on the throne in his glory 1588s
All the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats 1594s
You put the sheep at his right hand in the goats at the left 1602s
Then the king will say to those at his right hand come you that are blessed by my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world 1606s
I was hungry you gave me food. I was thirsty you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger you welcomed me 1613s
I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me 1619s
Then the righteous will answer in Lord when was it we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink 1626s
What was it we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? What was it? 1632s
We saw you sick or in prison and visited you 1637s
King will answer them through that I tell you just as you did it 1640s
To one of the least of these who are members of my family you did it to me 1643s
You see there's a there's a people of faith saying what what did we do that? 1648s
What we do that faith is is it works from faith is just a reflux 1652s
Remember this is not a portion of scripture that obliterates salvation by grace through faith 1657s
It supports it that indeed works are simply the expression of 1663s
A Lutheran then should never ever say I 1670s
Am a Lutheran and 1676s
We don't believe in good works 1679s
That should never ever cross our list our lips 1681s
We are called and empowered then to the middle 1687s
We need to watch out 1691s
lest we fall into the ditch 1692s
Of bad good works 1696s
The middle is the good good works that comes from faith and 1699s
What a blessing what a blessing it is to be a blessing to others through the expression of our faith of 1705s
The good works 1713s
I 1715s
Think when when Esther interceded with the king 1716s
Indeed it was for such a time as that 1721s
That indeed she intercedes for the people 1725s
Think of pole in second Corinthians 13. Why don't we turn there? 1729s
pole and second Corinthians 13 Matthew Mark Luke John Aksan Romans 1733s
First and second Corinthians 1738s
Second Corinthians chapter chapter 13 1741s
Verse four 1747s
For he was crucified in weakness 1759s
But lives by the power of God 1762s
For we are weak in him but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of 1766s
God it is the power of God that dwells in us that 1773s
Then expresses that which is he 1778s
Desires to those then that you help 1781s
Simply say I was glad I could help 1786s
It's glad I could help 1790s
And to God you say how kind of you to make of me 1793s
A blessing for others how kind of you to make of me 1800s
A blessing 1806s
A blessing for others 1827s