Theology of theWestminster Confession

Adult Sunday School

2017

Good Works

Salvation

WCF 16

Of Good Works

Good works are only such as God has commanded in his holy Word, and not such as, without the warrant of Scripture, are devised by men out of blind zeal or any pretense of good intention. [WCF, 16.1, MESV]

WCF16.1

Salvation

What are “good works”?

Previously the WCF focused on God's good works to our salvation. This chapter considers our own good works beginning with a definition.

• What are "good works" and why are they important?

• “Good works" are works that "God has commanded" in his Word"

• Avoid the "good works" that are invented by men

• Identifies the nature and the source of "good works"

• True "good works" are by divine commandment only

WCF16.1

Salvation

Of Good Works

These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and living faith. By them believers show their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, build up their fellow believers, adorn the profession of the gospel, shut the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God. They are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, so that, bearing fruit unto holiness, they may attain the outcome, which is eternal life. [WCF, 16.2, MESV]

WCF16.2

Salvation

Why do good works?

• True good works can only arise from the inward root of true repentance and faith

• The effects and uses of good works are• the expression of the believer's gratitude

• confirming faith

• edifying others

• manifesting faith to others

• refuting adversaries of God

• glorifying God

In God’s economy, only true Christians have true good works

WCF16.2

Salvation

What makes a work “good”?

• Two requirements are set forth in Scripture in order that a work may be truly "good"

1. It must be in conformity with the revealed will of God (what God has commanded in His holy Word)

2. It must be done from a "good conscience", done with sincerity of heart as an act of service to God.

• There is an impossibility of unbelievers doing "good works" due to the fact that their hearts (or consciences) and the law of God are not in agreement with each other

A good work is a human motive and action aligned with God’s law

WCF16.2

Salvation

What makes a work “good”?

• We must not merely do what God commands but must do it because we recognize God's will and seek to obey him.

Without faith is it impossible to please him. (Heb 11:6)

• Consequently, because of this double principle the unbeliever is never able to do truly good works

• Moreover, even the true believer is sometimes unable to do truly good works because there is an imperfect conformity of conscience to the Word of God

Our imperfect conscience frequently taints our good works

WCF16.2

Salvation

Enabled to do good works

"It is to the extent that our consciences are illuminated by the truth of God what we are able to do good works, and not merely the earnestness with which we heed the voice of conscience"

• Neglect of this truth leads to the perversion of the Word.

• Not stated here is the obvious point that "progressive sanctification" should enable us to be delivered from this ignorance of true good works in order that we might serve God with all good conscience.

WCF16.2

Salvation

Of Good Works

Their ability to do good works is not at all from themselves, but entirely from the Spirit of Christ. And—in order that they may be enabled to do these things—besides the graces believers have already received, there must also be an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit working in them both to will and to do God's good pleasure. This truth, however, should not cause believers to become negligent, as though they were not bound to perform any duty without a special moving of the Spirit; rather, they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them. [WCF, 16.3, MESV]

WCF16.3

Salvation

Christ the source of good works

• Discusses our ability to do good works and the extent to which we can expect to keep God's commands

• First, we are told that the "ability to do good works" does not come from ourselves, but "wholly from the Spirit of Christ"

Apart from Christ we cannot bear good fruit

WCF16.3

Salvation

Do not underestimate God’s part in the good work you did

• The importance of the work of the Spirit cannot be underestimated because there is nothing in us (apart from the Spirit) that can generate good works.

• The reality is that our sufficiency is from God (2 Cor. 3:5)

• Consequently, we need God himself to continue working in us, making us willing do to and then actually to do what is God's good pleasure

WCF16.3

Salvation

Diligence required

• Our work relies on the Spirit's work but that does not give us room to grow negligent in keeping God's commandments

• The believer will strive to do his duty because having a converted heart in which the Spirit dwells he will desire to do what is right

• The believer feels the power and authority of the warnings and exhortations of Scripture which require him to do his duty

WCF16.3

Salvation

Of Good Works

Those who attain the greatest heights of obedience possible in this life are so far from being able to go beyond duty and to do more than God requires, that they fall short of much that is their duty to do. [WCF, 16.4, MESV]

WCF16.4

Salvation

All boasting excluded

• Addresses the Roman Catholic doctrine of good works wherein sinful men having received divine grace are capable of doing not merely all their own duty but more besides

• While we are to spare no effort to do good works by God's grace we need to remember what the Word says about our limitations

• Consequently, no one can reach a standard where we may seriously argue our goodness before God

• You are not Job or Jesus so don’t boast of your goodness before God!

WCF16.4

Salvation

Super-abounding righteousness

• God's people confess how far we have fallen short of the glory of God

• We are not capable of "supererogation" (doing more than God requires)

• The reality is that Christ's righteousness super-abounds, but ours does not

• Although we have deficiencies in this life relative to "good works," the good news is that we can be led by the Spirit to a great extent and that we can live by the Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord

WCF16.4

Salvation

Of Good Works

We cannot, by our best works, merit forgiveness for sin or eternal life at the hand of God. This is true because of the great disproportion between our best works and the glory to come, and because of the infinite distance between us and God. We cannot benefit God by our best works nor render satisfaction for the debt of our former sins, for when we have done all we can, we have done merely our duty and are unprofitable servants. This is because, insofar as they are good, these deeds proceed from the Spirit; and, insofar as they are done by us, they are defiled and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection that they cannot endure the severity of God's judgment. [WCF, 16.5, MESV]

WCF16.5

Salvation

Holy Spirit Christian good works

• Good works are the works that God commands. Our good works are the fruit of the Holy Spirit's work in us, but the Spirit's work in us is not perfected until we are raised from the dead.

• Consequently, we fall short of what God requires

• Our best works cannot merit God's pleasure because they will never be good enough for God and because what is good in our works is really owing to the Holy Spirit

The good in us proceeds from the Holy Spirit

WCF16.5

Salvation

Even the best works are a mixed bag

• The "good" in us that alone can be "good" only in the most general meaning thereof

• Even our best works are still defiled because they are mixed with so much weakness, imperfection, and confused intentions

• Our good works would never endure the severity of God's judgment let alone win us salvation

WCF16.5

Salvation

Of Good Works

Nevertheless, because believers are accepted through Christ, their good works are also accepted in him. They are accepted not because believers are in this life unblamableand unreprovable in God's sight, but because he, looking upon them in his Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, even though it is accompanied by many weaknesses and imperfections. [WCF, 16.6, MESV]

WCF16.6

Salvation

How can God accept obedience?

"How can obedience ever be acceptable when our good works are so bad?"

• Paragraph six seeks to answer this question for the believer

• For the Christian the answer is that our good works are accepted through our mediator

• The marvel is not that the good works of believers are so "great" but rather that they are accepted and rewarded at all (because as believers we have union with Christ)

WCF16.6

Salvation

Christ our Mediator comes to the rescue

• The Father receives our work because we have a high priest who intercedes for us

• The point is that in spite of the many dark blotches on all of our best works, God looks upon them in his Son

• God can and actually does work in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ (Heb 13:20-21)

• Our works have no merit that earns mercy, nor are they given any meritorious worth by God, but in accepting us in Christ our Father accepts all that we are and do

WCF16.6

Salvation

Of Good Works

Although the works done by unregenerate men may in themselves be things which God commands and things which are useful to themselves and others, yet—because they do not come from a heart purified by faith, are not done in a right manner according to the Word, and are not done for the right purpose, which is to glorify God—they are therefore sinful, and cannot please God or make one suitable to receive his grace. Yet, neglecting them is even more sinful and displeasing to God. [WCF, 16.7, MESV]

WCF16.7

Salvation

Unbelieving “good” works are bad, but not doing them is worse

"How can obedience ever be acceptable when our good works are so bad"?

• Paragraph seven seeks to answer this question for the unbeliever

• Unregenerate men may do what we shall call "formally" good works

• Nevertheless these are inherently wicked works (as God sees them)

• Notwithstanding, the neglect of such formally good works is more wicked still

WCF16.7

Salvation

Splendid sins

• Pertains to those outside of Christ who will not repent of their sins and trust in the Savior

• "Splendid sins“ - splendid in one way but in another way nothing more than sins

• All that is "splendid" in them comes from "outside of the sinner" while all that is "sinful" is his own

• Certainly unbelievers can do well

• We can rejoice and give God praise for the good that unregenerate people do

• We can thank others for their kindness

WCF16.7

Salvation

The all-important motive is God’s glory

• The acts of "good works" may look alike from the perspective of believers and unbelievers (Cain and Abel) what came from an impure heart not performed according to the Word of God

• The unbeliever refuses to take into account "the glory of God"

• Those who do not work for the glory of God ultimately work for this own selves, their own goals, their own glory (Tit 1:15)

WCF16.7

Salvation

God desires our good works

• God hates the most solemn worship service that is empty. He declares unclean the work of unbelieving hands.

• Pray for our own good and for theirs, that they would not neglect what good they do because the abandonment of good is even more sinful and displeasing to God

WCF16.7

Salvation

Summary of key points

• “Good works" are works that "God has commanded" in his Word“

• In God’s economy, only true Christians have true good works

• A good work is a human motive and action aligned with God’s law

• Our imperfect conscience frequently taints our good works

• Apart from Christ we cannot bear good fruit

• The good in us proceeds from the Holy Spirit

• Our good works are accepted through Christ our Mediator

• Unregenerate men may do what we shall call "formally" good works

• We can rejoice and give God praise for the good that unregenerate people do

WCF16

Salvation

Consider and discuss

1. Give some examples of things the world considers good works but fall short of the Bible’s definition.

2. If all your good works are tainted by impure motives and actions, why do good works?

3. How would you explain to a friend who discovers the Bible teaches unbelievers cannot do good works?

4. What good works is God calling you

to do? How will you respond?

WCF16

Salvation

Memorize

To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Titus 1:15-16

WCF16

Salvation

Going deeper

Books

• Calvin, John. Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life (Beginner)

• Bond, Douglas. Grace Works! (Intermediate)

• Frame, John. The Doctrine of the Christian Life(Advanced)

Articles

• Helm, David. Why Good Works are Crucial for the Christian Life.

• Articles on Good Works at Monergism.com.

WCF16

Salvation