Profiting From the Word # 4

4. We profit from the Word when we are taught thereby the true nature of good works. This is something concerning which the unregenerate are in entire ignorance. Judging merely from the external, estimating things only by human standards, they are quite incompetent to determine what works are good in God's esteem and what are not. Supposing that what men regard as good works God will approve of too, they remain in the darkness of their sin-blinded understandings; nor can any convince them of their error, till the Holy Spirit quickens them into newness of life, bringing them out of darkness into God's marvelous light. Then it will appear that only those are good works which are done in obedience to the will of God (Romans 6:16), from a principle of love to Him (Hebrews 10:24), in the name of Christ (Col. 3:17), an to the glory of God by Him (1 Corinthians 10:31).


The true nature of "good works" was perfectly exemplified by the Lord Jesus. All that He did was done in obedience to His Father. He "pleased not himself" (Romans 15:3), but ever performed the bidding of the One who had sent Him (John 6:38). He could say, "I do always those things that please him" (John 8:29). There were no limits to Christ's subjection to the Father's will: He "became obedient  unto death, even the death of the Cross" (Phil. 2:8). So too all that He did proceeded from love to the Father and love to His neighbor. Love is the fulfilling of the Law; without love, compliance with the Law is naught but servile subjection, and that cannot be acceptable to Him who is Love. Proof that all Christ's obedience flowed from love is found in His words, "I delight to do thy will, O my God" (Psalm 40:8). So also all that Christ did had in view the glory of the Father: "Father, glorify thy name" (John 12:28) revealed the object constantly before Him.


5. We profit from the Word when we are taught thereby the true source of good works.  Unregenerate men are capable of performing works which in a natural and civil sense, though not in the spiritual sense, are good. They may do those things which, externally, as to matter and substance of them, are good, such as reading the Bible, attending the ministry of the Word, giving alms to the poor; yet the mainspring of such actions, their lack of godly motive, renders them as filthy rags in the sight of the thrice holy One. The unregenerate have no power to perform works in a spiritual manner, and therefore it is written, "There is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Romans 3:12). Nor are they able to: they are "not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:7). Hence, even the ploughing of the wicked is sin (Proverbs 21:4). Nor are believers able to think a good thought or perform a good work of themselves (2 Corinthians 3:5): it is God who works in them "both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).


~A. W. Pink~


(continued with # 5)