The Lord’s Work – Part 19
Understanding the truth of our works is monumentally important.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Your work is of one sort. It be good, or it be bad.
We will be rewarded according to our work. According to the sort, and according to the quantity of our work.
The simple truth is that one true good work gets an eternal reward.
Ephesians 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
If you do a good thing.. a true good thing, you have a sure reward. It can’t be lost. If you do one true good thing, you’ll have an eternal reward, and you will be in heaven for ever.
Matthew 10:41-42 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
All you have to do is just one good thing. Just one true good thing.
You don’t even really have to do much of anything yourself. You don’t even have to be righteous. Just receive a righteous man. You don’t even have to preach, just receive the preacher. All you have to do is give a single cup of cold water. Just one good thing, and you’re set for eternity.
So… who among us has ever done a true “good thing” – a TRUE good work? Not one of us. Not in the flesh, that is.
A true good thing cannot be done in the flesh, or in this carnal world.
A true good thing cannot be (done to be) seen of men.
A true good thing can only be done in the true light, in the true vine, in the true man, in Christ.
3 John 1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
Well that sounds pretty easy to be “of God”… I just have to do good!
And all I have to do is good ONE SINGLE TIME.
Don’t confuse the order! An unsaved man CANNOT do good.
Psalms 14:1-3 … there is none that doeth good. … there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Only a NT Christian has ever done TRUE good.
“But of course man does good things”, you say. If nothing else, the OT saints did good things, right?
Noah, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Gideon, Ruth, David, Solomon, Josiah, Daniel, Zechariah, Ezra, Nehemiah, etc.
Did they do good? Of course they did. BUT… not in truth, only in figure! You say, No Way! How can I say they didn’t do true good? Well… how can you say they HAVE done good in truth, and yet “there is none that doeth good”?
We have to divide the true from the figure of the true.
How else do you get around this? There is none that doeth good.
Now, you could try to look at the tense: “doeth” (present tense) vs. “did” or “hath done” (past tense), and say that to “doeth good” means to do it all the time, only, and always, but to have “done good” just means you sometimes do good, but you also sometimes do evil.
That may have been the best answer we had before now, but it never satisfied me. That never covered it for me. Because, if I have “done good” in the past, and I am ABLE to do good in the future, then I “do good”, sometimes. Sometimes, I do good! So how can God judge me as NOT one that “doeth good”?
And, if I have “done evil” in the past, and I am ABLE to do evil in the future, then I “do evil”, sometimes. Sometimes, I do evil! So how can God judge me as NOT one that “doeth evil”?
He won’t. And we preach it so.
We believe that it is impossible for a Christian to do evil. We preach it so.
We ought also preach that it is impossible for a sinner to do good.
We believe that a man who is born of God cannot sin. We preach it so.
We ought also preach that a man who is born of the flesh cannot do good.
If a man is ABLE to do evil, God is unrighteous to let him into heaven. We preach it so.
We ought also preach that if a man is ABLE to do good, God is unrighteous to send him to the lake of fire.
There are NO persons that can do BOTH good and evil.
If man can TRULY do both, how then will God judge the world in righteousness?
Where can God sent these people? They don’t meet either of these definitions of “doeth good” or “doeth evil”. How will God judge the world? We have a big problem in God’s judgment of mankind.
(Rather, the problem is with our blind eyes, our darkened understanding)
IF we allow that man CAN DO, TRUE good, then every man is capable of both good and evil, and every man on the planet has done both good and evil, and so every man should rightly receive both the reward of the righteous, and of the wicked. We are all both righteous and wicked. This CANNOT be.
This explanation (the tenses) does not work.
The truth is that if a man CAN do good, then he “doeth good”, and if a man CAN do evil, he “doeth evil”. We must divide, draw the line, right here! We must divide the true from the figure of the true.
See, it wouldn’t matter if that answer worked anyways. The present tense is not the whole “problem”… the past tense is also the problem..
John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Its not just they that “doeth good” all the time that go to heaven. Its all they that “HAVE DONE GOOD”.
If you have done TRUE good, even one time, you’re as righteous as Jesus Christ.
They that “doeth good” must be the same that “have done good”.
If the OT saints had “done good”, they would be resurrected to eternal life, with no need of a Saviour.
If we don’t divide according to truth, God is not a righteous Judge.
We can’t just draw the line down to there (to the “sometimes”). We have to take that line, that plumbline, and draw it all the way down (to the “ever” and “never”).
We have to divide the true, from the figure of the true.
Ephesians 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
One good work, and that man is eternally rewarded in heaven. One good work, just ONE, and that man is counted as one that “doeth good”.
3 John 1:11 … He that doeth good is of God: …
If a man does one single good thing, that man is born of God.
I believe the only way to reconcile these things is to answer that what a man does, ALWAYS, ALL his works, though there be some that are “good”, and are called “good” because they are figures of good, performed according to the pattern of true good… they are all in fact FALSE, because they are carnal, performed in the world, to be seen of men, proceeding from the fleshly heart. None of them are TRUE good works. Thus, it cannot be counted that a man doeth good works. Because he does not, and never has, done a single good work IN TRUTH.
If we allow that man CAN DO a true good work, then we must say that man “doeth good” in truth. And that man cannot be denied eternal life.
But now, we know that God is not unrighteous. God is a just and fair and TRUE judge who will judge according to TRUTH.
Romans 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
We must divide THE TRUE from the FIGURE of the true. Because that is how God is going to judge man, according to TRUTH.
All The Lord’s works are done in truth. While all man’s works, even the “good” ones, are done in shadows.
Man, knowing good from evil (in the flesh but not in truth), can do “good things”, which are not TRUE good things, but merely SHADOWS, PATTERNS, and FIGURES of good things.
Man’s works are figures of good things, performed unto an example and pattern of true good things.
Good things
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
A carnal man, made under the law, cannot do good things. An unsaved man cannot do good things. He has never been able to do TRUE good things.
At his best, he can only do a shadow of good things, under the law.
Psalms 39:5-6 … verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. 6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: …
Even a saved man today, cannot do true good things in the flesh. His flesh is still under the law of sin, and all the law has is “… a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things”.
Before the true good things were available, God showed to man the pattern of them, for a time present, to show to man the pattern of righteousness, to show man his unrighteousness and to cause man to be ready for the true. The law was a schoolmaster.
There was a time when God gave to man the pattern, and desired men to do and to serve in the pattern of good things. He told Moses, “See… that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount”.
Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
The tabernacle of witness was according to a pattern. The services of the temple were according to a pattern. The things of the law and all the things of the temple were a PATTERN of true good things.
The 10 commandments and all the law were according to a pattern. If they were “the true”, they wouldn’t have been done away. Remember, “what God doeth, it shall be for ever”. If the law had true good things it would have endured for ever.
The Gentiles, and all manner of four-footed beasts and creeping things, which according to the law, were unclean, would not have been called “cleansed” (to Peter).
Acts 11:2-18 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. 4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, 5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: 6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. 8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. 12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house: 13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
That is the story of how YOU, who by the law were unclean, were declared to be cleansed.
That is the story of how YOU were granted eternal life. That is the story of how the Gentiles, who were abiding without God, were graphed into Christ. That is the story of how you and I were cleansed, so that the Jews, who were not permitted to break bread with the Gentiles, were granted permission to preach the gospel unto us. To share the meat and drink of Jesus Christ with us.
But according to the law, you and I were UNCLEAN. Thank goodness that the law was done away. Thank the Lord, that the law was not “the true”.
If the law had true good things, you and I never would have been cleansed without it.
If the law had true good things, you and I never would have been granted repentance unto life.
If the law was the true, instead of just the figure of the true, you and I never would have been granted repentance unto life.
Hebrews 9:9-10 Which [the law/tabernacle] was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
The law stood only in carnal things. Not the true good things to come. It only had the figure of true good things. But the time is now different (reformed). True good things have been revealed, reformed, restored. The heavenly things themselves have been purified. The heavenly substances are now available. These are the “good things”!!
What are the true good things? The things in heaven, which things the law and the tabernacle was patterned after. The temple, the altar, the shewbread, the clean garments, the washings, the sacrifices, the water and the blood.
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come …
What are the true “good things”? We better know the truth of this, because it is both how we are saved, and how we are eternally rewarded.
Ephesians 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
The heavenly things are the true “good things”. The things that Christ ministers, the patterns of which were seen by man’s eyes, in the law.
Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Good things are the things that Christ ministers. Good things are the Holy Spirit and the word of God. Good things are salvation and eternal life. Good things are living waters. Good things are the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Good things are eternal good fruits.
Good things are not made with hands. Good things are the tabernacle in heaven: New Jerusalem. Good things are the things that proceed out of throne of God, the city of God. Good things are heavenly things. Good things are spiritual things, spiritual meat and drink, and spiritual riches.
If things are made with hands (i.e., by the hands of men) and not without hands (i.e., by the hand of the Lord), then they are not true things.
So again, what are TRUE good things? The things which were seen in the law, but which the law could not give men. True good things are what things Jesus Christ came to minister, the same things that we preach.
Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Good things (true ones) were not yet given to man, before Christ. Yet now, we preach them.
Good things, are the things that we preach: the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 12:33-35 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Remember I told you what fruit, spiritual fruit, is: (1) people, and it is (2) words.
And when we talk about a man bringing forth his fruit, either evil or good, it is according to his kind.
His fruit is his words. And His words bring forth another tree, of his kind.
An evil man brings forth evil things (evil fruit, evil words), which when sown, bring forth another evil tree. But a good man brings forth good things (good words, good fruit), which when sown, bring forth another good tree.
A man’s fruits are his words. A man’s things are his words. They are of one sort, good or evil.
A good tree (a good man, a saved man) gives eternal life by his words. He is a tree of life.
An evil tree (an evil man, an unsaved man), gives eternal death by his words. He is a corrupt tree.
We must PROVE (test, try) men to know them. We must PROVE ourselves, to know our sort of fruit.
How? How can you know a good tree from an evil tree? How can you know him that bringeth forth GOOD THINGS from him that bringeth forth evil things? How can you know a good man from an evil man? How can you know him that doeth good from him that doeth evil? How can you know a saved man from an unsaved man? How can you know a true man from a spy? How can you know a sheep from a fox? How can you know an apostle from a false apostle? How can you know a Real Christian from a false brother (liar Christian)? HOW???
There is only ONE WAY to know! Only ONE. ONE!
Matthew 12:33 … for the tree is known by his fruit.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
You have to try their FRUIT!
You have to taste their FRUIT: their WORDS.
Isaiah 57:19 I create the fruit of the lips;
Hebrews 13:15 … the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
The only way to know the sort of tree is to hear what WORDS they speak.
The only way to know the sort of tree is to hear what fruit comes out of their mouths.
And so the ONLY difference between an unsaved man and a saved man is NOT in what things (WORKS) they can DO, before men’s eyes.
The ONLY difference between an unsaved man and a saved man is what things (WORDS) they can SPEAK, before a discerning ear.
Only a saved man can SPEAK good things.
Matthew 12:34 … how can ye, being evil, speak good things?
How can evil men speak good things? What a question!
How can an unsaved man speak good things? How can I speak good things?
I think I may have the complex answer, which I will reveal to you in the future.
But the simple answer, according to TRUTH, is that… They CAN’T!!!! They cannot give the gospel. They cannot give eternal life, and so they CANNOT bring forth a single good thing!
It matters not what works they do; how many lives they save, how many hungry people they feed, how many homeless they shelter, how many fatherless they adopt, how much money and time they give to charity, how much social justice they fight for, how many criminals they lock up behind bars, how often they attend church, how fervently and zealously they sing and praise in their churches. It matters not what works they do in the flesh. It matters not. It matters NOT what they do.
It only matters what words proceed from their hearts.
You cannot know a man by his works. You can only know a man by his WORDS.
A saved man can preach the gospel. An unsaved man cannot speak the gospel (TRUE good things, TRUE good fruit). And THAT is all that matters.
The gospel is the true good fruit, and giving that fruit to feed the SPIRITUALLY hungry is the true good work. That is what the TRUE good things are. The things that give eternal life.
An unsaved man cannot speak the truth of the gospel. And that is how you KNOW them. By their fruits: their words.
What are the TRUE good things?
Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
“Being evil” the problem is not what they do, it is what they ARE. An evil man cannot give good things. He cannot speak eternal life.
Jul 13 2021
The Lord’s Work – Part 19
Downloadable Word document:
The Lord’s Work – Part 19
The Lord’s Work – Part 19
Understanding the truth of our works is monumentally important.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Your work is of one sort. It be good, or it be bad.
We will be rewarded according to our work. According to the sort, and according to the quantity of our work.
The simple truth is that one true good work gets an eternal reward.
Ephesians 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
If you do a good thing.. a true good thing, you have a sure reward. It can’t be lost. If you do one true good thing, you’ll have an eternal reward, and you will be in heaven for ever.
Matthew 10:41-42 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
All you have to do is just one good thing. Just one true good thing.
You don’t even really have to do much of anything yourself. You don’t even have to be righteous. Just receive a righteous man. You don’t even have to preach, just receive the preacher. All you have to do is give a single cup of cold water. Just one good thing, and you’re set for eternity.
So… who among us has ever done a true “good thing” – a TRUE good work? Not one of us. Not in the flesh, that is.
A true good thing cannot be done in the flesh, or in this carnal world.
A true good thing cannot be (done to be) seen of men.
A true good thing can only be done in the true light, in the true vine, in the true man, in Christ.
3 John 1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
Well that sounds pretty easy to be “of God”… I just have to do good!
And all I have to do is good ONE SINGLE TIME.
Don’t confuse the order! An unsaved man CANNOT do good.
Psalms 14:1-3 … there is none that doeth good. … there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Only a NT Christian has ever done TRUE good.
“But of course man does good things”, you say. If nothing else, the OT saints did good things, right?
Noah, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Gideon, Ruth, David, Solomon, Josiah, Daniel, Zechariah, Ezra, Nehemiah, etc.
Did they do good? Of course they did. BUT… not in truth, only in figure! You say, No Way! How can I say they didn’t do true good? Well… how can you say they HAVE done good in truth, and yet “there is none that doeth good”?
We have to divide the true from the figure of the true.
How else do you get around this? There is none that doeth good.
Now, you could try to look at the tense: “doeth” (present tense) vs. “did” or “hath done” (past tense), and say that to “doeth good” means to do it all the time, only, and always, but to have “done good” just means you sometimes do good, but you also sometimes do evil.
That may have been the best answer we had before now, but it never satisfied me. That never covered it for me. Because, if I have “done good” in the past, and I am ABLE to do good in the future, then I “do good”, sometimes. Sometimes, I do good! So how can God judge me as NOT one that “doeth good”?
And, if I have “done evil” in the past, and I am ABLE to do evil in the future, then I “do evil”, sometimes. Sometimes, I do evil! So how can God judge me as NOT one that “doeth evil”?
He won’t. And we preach it so.
We believe that it is impossible for a Christian to do evil. We preach it so.
We ought also preach that it is impossible for a sinner to do good.
We believe that a man who is born of God cannot sin. We preach it so.
We ought also preach that a man who is born of the flesh cannot do good.
If a man is ABLE to do evil, God is unrighteous to let him into heaven. We preach it so.
We ought also preach that if a man is ABLE to do good, God is unrighteous to send him to the lake of fire.
There are NO persons that can do BOTH good and evil.
If man can TRULY do both, how then will God judge the world in righteousness?
Where can God sent these people? They don’t meet either of these definitions of “doeth good” or “doeth evil”. How will God judge the world? We have a big problem in God’s judgment of mankind.
(Rather, the problem is with our blind eyes, our darkened understanding)
IF we allow that man CAN DO, TRUE good, then every man is capable of both good and evil, and every man on the planet has done both good and evil, and so every man should rightly receive both the reward of the righteous, and of the wicked. We are all both righteous and wicked. This CANNOT be.
This explanation (the tenses) does not work.
The truth is that if a man CAN do good, then he “doeth good”, and if a man CAN do evil, he “doeth evil”. We must divide, draw the line, right here! We must divide the true from the figure of the true.
See, it wouldn’t matter if that answer worked anyways. The present tense is not the whole “problem”… the past tense is also the problem..
John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Its not just they that “doeth good” all the time that go to heaven. Its all they that “HAVE DONE GOOD”.
If you have done TRUE good, even one time, you’re as righteous as Jesus Christ.
They that “doeth good” must be the same that “have done good”.
If the OT saints had “done good”, they would be resurrected to eternal life, with no need of a Saviour.
If we don’t divide according to truth, God is not a righteous Judge.
We can’t just draw the line down to there (to the “sometimes”). We have to take that line, that plumbline, and draw it all the way down (to the “ever” and “never”).
We have to divide the true, from the figure of the true.
Ephesians 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
One good work, and that man is eternally rewarded in heaven. One good work, just ONE, and that man is counted as one that “doeth good”.
3 John 1:11 … He that doeth good is of God: …
If a man does one single good thing, that man is born of God.
I believe the only way to reconcile these things is to answer that what a man does, ALWAYS, ALL his works, though there be some that are “good”, and are called “good” because they are figures of good, performed according to the pattern of true good… they are all in fact FALSE, because they are carnal, performed in the world, to be seen of men, proceeding from the fleshly heart. None of them are TRUE good works. Thus, it cannot be counted that a man doeth good works. Because he does not, and never has, done a single good work IN TRUTH.
If we allow that man CAN DO a true good work, then we must say that man “doeth good” in truth. And that man cannot be denied eternal life.
But now, we know that God is not unrighteous. God is a just and fair and TRUE judge who will judge according to TRUTH.
Romans 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
We must divide THE TRUE from the FIGURE of the true. Because that is how God is going to judge man, according to TRUTH.
All The Lord’s works are done in truth. While all man’s works, even the “good” ones, are done in shadows.
Man, knowing good from evil (in the flesh but not in truth), can do “good things”, which are not TRUE good things, but merely SHADOWS, PATTERNS, and FIGURES of good things.
Man’s works are figures of good things, performed unto an example and pattern of true good things.
Good things
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
A carnal man, made under the law, cannot do good things. An unsaved man cannot do good things. He has never been able to do TRUE good things.
At his best, he can only do a shadow of good things, under the law.
Psalms 39:5-6 … verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. 6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: …
Even a saved man today, cannot do true good things in the flesh. His flesh is still under the law of sin, and all the law has is “… a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things”.
Before the true good things were available, God showed to man the pattern of them, for a time present, to show to man the pattern of righteousness, to show man his unrighteousness and to cause man to be ready for the true. The law was a schoolmaster.
There was a time when God gave to man the pattern, and desired men to do and to serve in the pattern of good things. He told Moses, “See… that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount”.
Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
The tabernacle of witness was according to a pattern. The services of the temple were according to a pattern. The things of the law and all the things of the temple were a PATTERN of true good things.
The 10 commandments and all the law were according to a pattern. If they were “the true”, they wouldn’t have been done away. Remember, “what God doeth, it shall be for ever”. If the law had true good things it would have endured for ever.
The Gentiles, and all manner of four-footed beasts and creeping things, which according to the law, were unclean, would not have been called “cleansed” (to Peter).
Acts 11:2-18 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. 4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, 5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: 6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. 8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. 12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house: 13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
That is the story of how YOU, who by the law were unclean, were declared to be cleansed.
That is the story of how YOU were granted eternal life. That is the story of how the Gentiles, who were abiding without God, were graphed into Christ. That is the story of how you and I were cleansed, so that the Jews, who were not permitted to break bread with the Gentiles, were granted permission to preach the gospel unto us. To share the meat and drink of Jesus Christ with us.
But according to the law, you and I were UNCLEAN. Thank goodness that the law was done away. Thank the Lord, that the law was not “the true”.
If the law had true good things, you and I never would have been cleansed without it.
If the law had true good things, you and I never would have been granted repentance unto life.
If the law was the true, instead of just the figure of the true, you and I never would have been granted repentance unto life.
Hebrews 9:9-10 Which [the law/tabernacle] was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
The law stood only in carnal things. Not the true good things to come. It only had the figure of true good things. But the time is now different (reformed). True good things have been revealed, reformed, restored. The heavenly things themselves have been purified. The heavenly substances are now available. These are the “good things”!!
What are the true good things? The things in heaven, which things the law and the tabernacle was patterned after. The temple, the altar, the shewbread, the clean garments, the washings, the sacrifices, the water and the blood.
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come …
What are the true “good things”? We better know the truth of this, because it is both how we are saved, and how we are eternally rewarded.
Ephesians 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
The heavenly things are the true “good things”. The things that Christ ministers, the patterns of which were seen by man’s eyes, in the law.
Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Good things are the things that Christ ministers. Good things are the Holy Spirit and the word of God. Good things are salvation and eternal life. Good things are living waters. Good things are the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Good things are eternal good fruits.
Good things are not made with hands. Good things are the tabernacle in heaven: New Jerusalem. Good things are the things that proceed out of throne of God, the city of God. Good things are heavenly things. Good things are spiritual things, spiritual meat and drink, and spiritual riches.
If things are made with hands (i.e., by the hands of men) and not without hands (i.e., by the hand of the Lord), then they are not true things.
So again, what are TRUE good things? The things which were seen in the law, but which the law could not give men. True good things are what things Jesus Christ came to minister, the same things that we preach.
Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Good things (true ones) were not yet given to man, before Christ. Yet now, we preach them.
Good things, are the things that we preach: the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 12:33-35 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Remember I told you what fruit, spiritual fruit, is: (1) people, and it is (2) words.
And when we talk about a man bringing forth his fruit, either evil or good, it is according to his kind.
His fruit is his words. And His words bring forth another tree, of his kind.
An evil man brings forth evil things (evil fruit, evil words), which when sown, bring forth another evil tree. But a good man brings forth good things (good words, good fruit), which when sown, bring forth another good tree.
A man’s fruits are his words. A man’s things are his words. They are of one sort, good or evil.
A good tree (a good man, a saved man) gives eternal life by his words. He is a tree of life.
An evil tree (an evil man, an unsaved man), gives eternal death by his words. He is a corrupt tree.
We must PROVE (test, try) men to know them. We must PROVE ourselves, to know our sort of fruit.
How? How can you know a good tree from an evil tree? How can you know him that bringeth forth GOOD THINGS from him that bringeth forth evil things? How can you know a good man from an evil man? How can you know him that doeth good from him that doeth evil? How can you know a saved man from an unsaved man? How can you know a true man from a spy? How can you know a sheep from a fox? How can you know an apostle from a false apostle? How can you know a Real Christian from a false brother (liar Christian)? HOW???
There is only ONE WAY to know! Only ONE. ONE!
Matthew 12:33 … for the tree is known by his fruit.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
You have to try their FRUIT!
You have to taste their FRUIT: their WORDS.
Isaiah 57:19 I create the fruit of the lips;
Hebrews 13:15 … the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
The only way to know the sort of tree is to hear what WORDS they speak.
The only way to know the sort of tree is to hear what fruit comes out of their mouths.
And so the ONLY difference between an unsaved man and a saved man is NOT in what things (WORKS) they can DO, before men’s eyes.
The ONLY difference between an unsaved man and a saved man is what things (WORDS) they can SPEAK, before a discerning ear.
Only a saved man can SPEAK good things.
Matthew 12:34 … how can ye, being evil, speak good things?
How can evil men speak good things? What a question!
How can an unsaved man speak good things? How can I speak good things?
I think I may have the complex answer, which I will reveal to you in the future.
But the simple answer, according to TRUTH, is that… They CAN’T!!!! They cannot give the gospel. They cannot give eternal life, and so they CANNOT bring forth a single good thing!
It matters not what works they do; how many lives they save, how many hungry people they feed, how many homeless they shelter, how many fatherless they adopt, how much money and time they give to charity, how much social justice they fight for, how many criminals they lock up behind bars, how often they attend church, how fervently and zealously they sing and praise in their churches. It matters not what works they do in the flesh. It matters not. It matters NOT what they do.
It only matters what words proceed from their hearts.
You cannot know a man by his works. You can only know a man by his WORDS.
A saved man can preach the gospel. An unsaved man cannot speak the gospel (TRUE good things, TRUE good fruit). And THAT is all that matters.
The gospel is the true good fruit, and giving that fruit to feed the SPIRITUALLY hungry is the true good work. That is what the TRUE good things are. The things that give eternal life.
An unsaved man cannot speak the truth of the gospel. And that is how you KNOW them. By their fruits: their words.
What are the TRUE good things?
Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
“Being evil” the problem is not what they do, it is what they ARE. An evil man cannot give good things. He cannot speak eternal life.
By Pastor • Christian Doctrine • 0