The Lord’s Work – Part 8
Deuteronomy 7:9-10 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; 10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
Man has worked, man will be repaid. Man will be rewarded, according to his works.
You do NOT want to be repaid for the works of your flesh!
We need to find MERCY before judgment. You will find no mercy at your judgment.
Isaiah 3:10-11 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. 11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
The righteous will eat of his own fruit, and the wicked will eat of his own fruit.
It’s the fruit: the finished, tried work. And one tree does not bring forth both good and bad fruit.
They do not do of both sorts, and they will not receive of both sorts.
Proverbs 13:21 Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.
If at our judgment, we are found sinners, instead of completely righteous (made so by His mercy), evil will be repaid.
BUT! That is a line:
Sinners | Righteous
^
“but”
The righteous are NOT sinners. Sinners are NOT the righteous. And they are not rewarded with the same things. You can’t be repaid both, and you can’t be both.
Psalms 32:10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
There is a line. There are no people that will be repayed both good and evil.
You’re either all righteous or you’re all wicked. Likewise, you will be repayed either all good or all evil.
They are different people. In fact, they are judged in different resurrections entirely.
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 [TRUE GOOD], unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Each person will be judged after their sort. The righteous will be justified (because He IS good), But the wicked will be condemned (because he IS evil). And each will receive according to their works.
So I believe an unsaved man will not be rewarded good for his “good works” because a carnal man cannot do TRUE good works. I’d like to address each person and their sort of works.
Caution: These things are hard sayings. I am still struggling with them. So, as I attempt to teach you what I believe is truth, hold onto this understanding. There is a line between the righteous and the wicked.
1) The Wicked’s Works
First, lest address the wicked man and his works.
How? How is it that this person is not rewarded good for his “good works”?
I think of the atheist that is somewhat liberal with his money, and is often honest even when its hard, and doesn’t take, steal, or skim off the top, but repays his debts.
I think of the church goers that give to the church, and sing praises in the choir, and organize youth activities.
I think of the dissenters in the Holocaust. Or what about those Germans soldiers that saved some lives and killed others? They did evil and “good”. What about Schindler? Saving 1,100 Jewish lives from extermination. Certainly that was doing “good works”! But yet, he was no angel. He could have saved more. I’m sure he worked evil too. Maybe committed adultery, maybe committed fraud or lied to make some money.
But they all will only receive of according to the one singular SORT or their work (whichever it be – good or bad).
Why? Why shouldn’t these people receive both good and bad? Why should they receive only bad and not be credited for the “good” that they did?
How is it righteous of God to not reward one’s “good works”?
I believe it is because these “good works” are not TRUE good works. They are not good in truth. In the world they are called good. Under the law they could be counted good. Under the Old Testament they could be considered good.
And in a form, they are good. But ONLY in form.
How is it that this man’s “good works” are not counted as true good works?
Because they LOOK good in form, but in truth they are FAKE.
Reprobate
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Being in works, and not in Christ.
It’s in those very works, which they think are good, that they deny him. Believing that their works are good, they deny the truth.
The truth is that a wicked (unsaved) man’s good works are NOT TRUE good works. And thus, justly, fairly, they are not counted good at his judgment.
The wicked cannot do true good works. He is incapable of it. Not because they don’t do “good things”, but because they believe they are good works. Because they are unbelieving, unrepented, wicked sinners, and thus all of their righteousnesses are reprobate. What is a “reprobate”?
Jeremiah 6:30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
A reprobate is a FAKE. A reprobate is rejected as FALSE. Rejected as FAKE.
Oh, “fool’s gold” looks like gold to many people. And oh, reprobate silver looks like real silver, probably feels like real silver. Probably can trick a lot of poor, uneducated, untrained people… but when it is examined, when it is weighed, and when it is tried… its true nature is manifest.
Counterfeit cash looks like real cash. It can fool a lot of people.
Poisonous berries look like good fruit. They can trick a lot of people.
Poison Ivy looks like a fine leaf to wipe your butt with when you’re out in the woods.
But if you understood what these “good things” really are, you would reject them.
2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
It is concerning the truth which they (we) are in error. It is concerning faith that they are reprobate – counterfeit.
It is not just the works that are reprobate… it is THEM who are reprobate.
If it grows on a poison ivy vine, its not true. If it was made in a thief’s basement, its not true.
Psalms 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
Mankind can do “good” and evil. But what mankind brings forth is always the same: reprobate.
Why? Because mankind is not in the truth. Mankind is not in the Spirit of God.
2 Corinthians 13:5-6 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
There is a line here!
A reprobate is not IN CHRIST. A Reprobate is not IN THE FAITH.
A reprobate is IN THE FLESH, not IN THE SPIRIT.
A reprobate is IN WORKS, and not IN THE GRACE OF GOD.
“In works they deny him, being disobedient… and unto every good work reprobate.”
They deny him in that they believe their works are truly good. Because they don’t know their own selves in truth.
Their works are not real because they themselves are fake. Like a thief’s basement.
Their good works are not good, because they (themselves) ARE reprobate (outside of Christ).
The wicked cannot do good works. Not because they don’t do “good things”, but because all of their works are performed outside of Christ.
If you are a reprobate, then all of your works are, and will be, rejected as reprobate. This is really important, so I want to spend some time here.
How do we know we are not reprobates? How and where do we draw the line between a true man, and a reprobate? Let’s examine ourselves!
In the faith
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; …
To be “in the faith” is to understand and hold the doctrine of the gospel of grace. To study and grow in understanding allows one to be strong and well stablished “in the faith”. But to simply “be in the faith”, is to be saved by the gospel of Christ, to have understood, repented, believed, and confessed the gospel of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Colossians 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
1 Timothy 3:13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
We should be STRONG and BOLD “in the faith”, by being taught in the doctrine. This is not by good works!
Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Even one that is weak in the faith (a baby Christian) is still “in the faith”. He may need to be strengthened by teaching, but he is still saved, and at no risk of losing salvation.
Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
One is “in the faith” by receiving the preaching of the hope of the gospel.
One who is saved, is living, abiding, continuing, in the faith, by the Spirit.
One who is saved, or a church which is saved, could possibly be moved away by false teachers in the flesh, but the spirit is still living in the faith, in Jesus.
If we lost faith, so what? He abideth faithful! There is no loss of salvation!
So even if an individual can be “moved away”, it would not be by evil works, but by not preaching, or by falsely preaching, the HOPE of the gospel.
The exhortation to examine ourselves and determine if we are “in the faith”, is to determine if we are in the gospel.
Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
Crete, where Paul left Titus to oversee the church(es), to set the doctrine in order and to ordain elders, had a problem with false prophets.
Titus 1:10-14 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. 12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
“evil beasts”: These are not mere evil men – these are false prophets, called: “brute beasts” in 2 Peter 2:12 & Jude 1:10.
Titus was to rebuke the Cretians, especially the pastors and elders, that they would not give heed to these evil beasts who were of old ordained to condemnation, and which taught heresy for money and praise of men.
To lay down the lines of the gospel so that the people MAY be SOUND, secure, well established, “in the faith.”
To be “in the faith” is to be in the doctrine – the truth. To be SOUND in the faith, is to be emboldened and assured of the HOPE we have in Christ, and to not be able to be moved by false teachers of WORKS (commandments of Judaism or of natural man).
This is what I believe about being “in the faith”.
The phrase “in the faith” is always about doctrine. The references are about either being in the doctrine, or being STRONG in the doctrine. It is not about works – not about being good and righteous or maintaining good works.
Commandments to be good and obey the works of the law (either law) turn people from the truth.
This is what I’ve concluded: I’ll not go any deeper into the phrase “in the faith”, which occurs 12 times (we’ve seen 7). I believe this summary should do. I welcome you to look at each one and let me know if this explanation does not line up.
Just a little surprise for you, see the next 2 verses after this warning and explanation of “in the faith”:
Titus 1:15-16 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
One is either “in the faith”, or “in works”. And if one is “in works”, “they deny Him… being… unto every good work reprobate.”
If one is “in works”, he is not “in the faith”. For me, this passage proves that being “in the faith” is not by works. In fact, it’s the opposite.
It is having a DOCTRINE of WORKS instead of the doctrine of the hope of the gospel (eternal security in Jesus), that is the problem.
If one is in works, and not “in the faith” all his works are reprobate: rejected as FAKE.
Sep 13 2020
The Lord’s Work – Part 8
Downloadable Word document:
The Lord’s Work – Part 8
The Lord’s Work – Part 8
Deuteronomy 7:9-10 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; 10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
Man has worked, man will be repaid. Man will be rewarded, according to his works.
You do NOT want to be repaid for the works of your flesh!
We need to find MERCY before judgment. You will find no mercy at your judgment.
Isaiah 3:10-11 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. 11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
The righteous will eat of his own fruit, and the wicked will eat of his own fruit.
It’s the fruit: the finished, tried work. And one tree does not bring forth both good and bad fruit.
They do not do of both sorts, and they will not receive of both sorts.
Proverbs 13:21 Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.
If at our judgment, we are found sinners, instead of completely righteous (made so by His mercy), evil will be repaid.
BUT! That is a line:
Sinners | Righteous
^
“but”
The righteous are NOT sinners. Sinners are NOT the righteous. And they are not rewarded with the same things. You can’t be repaid both, and you can’t be both.
Psalms 32:10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
There is a line. There are no people that will be repayed both good and evil.
You’re either all righteous or you’re all wicked. Likewise, you will be repayed either all good or all evil.
They are different people. In fact, they are judged in different resurrections entirely.
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 [TRUE GOOD], unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Each person will be judged after their sort. The righteous will be justified (because He IS good), But the wicked will be condemned (because he IS evil). And each will receive according to their works.
So I believe an unsaved man will not be rewarded good for his “good works” because a carnal man cannot do TRUE good works. I’d like to address each person and their sort of works.
Caution: These things are hard sayings. I am still struggling with them. So, as I attempt to teach you what I believe is truth, hold onto this understanding. There is a line between the righteous and the wicked.
1) The Wicked’s Works
First, lest address the wicked man and his works.
How? How is it that this person is not rewarded good for his “good works”?
I think of the atheist that is somewhat liberal with his money, and is often honest even when its hard, and doesn’t take, steal, or skim off the top, but repays his debts.
I think of the church goers that give to the church, and sing praises in the choir, and organize youth activities.
I think of the dissenters in the Holocaust. Or what about those Germans soldiers that saved some lives and killed others? They did evil and “good”. What about Schindler? Saving 1,100 Jewish lives from extermination. Certainly that was doing “good works”! But yet, he was no angel. He could have saved more. I’m sure he worked evil too. Maybe committed adultery, maybe committed fraud or lied to make some money.
But they all will only receive of according to the one singular SORT or their work (whichever it be – good or bad).
Why? Why shouldn’t these people receive both good and bad? Why should they receive only bad and not be credited for the “good” that they did?
How is it righteous of God to not reward one’s “good works”?
I believe it is because these “good works” are not TRUE good works. They are not good in truth. In the world they are called good. Under the law they could be counted good. Under the Old Testament they could be considered good.
And in a form, they are good. But ONLY in form.
How is it that this man’s “good works” are not counted as true good works?
Because they LOOK good in form, but in truth they are FAKE.
Reprobate
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Being in works, and not in Christ.
It’s in those very works, which they think are good, that they deny him. Believing that their works are good, they deny the truth.
The truth is that a wicked (unsaved) man’s good works are NOT TRUE good works. And thus, justly, fairly, they are not counted good at his judgment.
The wicked cannot do true good works. He is incapable of it. Not because they don’t do “good things”, but because they believe they are good works. Because they are unbelieving, unrepented, wicked sinners, and thus all of their righteousnesses are reprobate. What is a “reprobate”?
Jeremiah 6:30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
A reprobate is a FAKE. A reprobate is rejected as FALSE. Rejected as FAKE.
Oh, “fool’s gold” looks like gold to many people. And oh, reprobate silver looks like real silver, probably feels like real silver. Probably can trick a lot of poor, uneducated, untrained people… but when it is examined, when it is weighed, and when it is tried… its true nature is manifest.
Counterfeit cash looks like real cash. It can fool a lot of people.
Poisonous berries look like good fruit. They can trick a lot of people.
Poison Ivy looks like a fine leaf to wipe your butt with when you’re out in the woods.
But if you understood what these “good things” really are, you would reject them.
2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
It is concerning the truth which they (we) are in error. It is concerning faith that they are reprobate – counterfeit.
It is not just the works that are reprobate… it is THEM who are reprobate.
If it grows on a poison ivy vine, its not true. If it was made in a thief’s basement, its not true.
Psalms 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
Mankind can do “good” and evil. But what mankind brings forth is always the same: reprobate.
Why? Because mankind is not in the truth. Mankind is not in the Spirit of God.
2 Corinthians 13:5-6 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
There is a line here!
A reprobate is not IN CHRIST. A Reprobate is not IN THE FAITH.
A reprobate is IN THE FLESH, not IN THE SPIRIT.
A reprobate is IN WORKS, and not IN THE GRACE OF GOD.
“In works they deny him, being disobedient… and unto every good work reprobate.”
They deny him in that they believe their works are truly good. Because they don’t know their own selves in truth.
Their works are not real because they themselves are fake. Like a thief’s basement.
Their good works are not good, because they (themselves) ARE reprobate (outside of Christ).
The wicked cannot do good works. Not because they don’t do “good things”, but because all of their works are performed outside of Christ.
If you are a reprobate, then all of your works are, and will be, rejected as reprobate. This is really important, so I want to spend some time here.
How do we know we are not reprobates? How and where do we draw the line between a true man, and a reprobate? Let’s examine ourselves!
In the faith
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; …
To be “in the faith” is to understand and hold the doctrine of the gospel of grace. To study and grow in understanding allows one to be strong and well stablished “in the faith”. But to simply “be in the faith”, is to be saved by the gospel of Christ, to have understood, repented, believed, and confessed the gospel of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Colossians 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
1 Timothy 3:13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
We should be STRONG and BOLD “in the faith”, by being taught in the doctrine. This is not by good works!
Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Even one that is weak in the faith (a baby Christian) is still “in the faith”. He may need to be strengthened by teaching, but he is still saved, and at no risk of losing salvation.
Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
One is “in the faith” by receiving the preaching of the hope of the gospel.
One who is saved, is living, abiding, continuing, in the faith, by the Spirit.
One who is saved, or a church which is saved, could possibly be moved away by false teachers in the flesh, but the spirit is still living in the faith, in Jesus.
If we lost faith, so what? He abideth faithful! There is no loss of salvation!
So even if an individual can be “moved away”, it would not be by evil works, but by not preaching, or by falsely preaching, the HOPE of the gospel.
The exhortation to examine ourselves and determine if we are “in the faith”, is to determine if we are in the gospel.
Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
Crete, where Paul left Titus to oversee the church(es), to set the doctrine in order and to ordain elders, had a problem with false prophets.
Titus 1:10-14 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. 12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
“evil beasts”: These are not mere evil men – these are false prophets, called: “brute beasts” in 2 Peter 2:12 & Jude 1:10.
Titus was to rebuke the Cretians, especially the pastors and elders, that they would not give heed to these evil beasts who were of old ordained to condemnation, and which taught heresy for money and praise of men.
To lay down the lines of the gospel so that the people MAY be SOUND, secure, well established, “in the faith.”
To be “in the faith” is to be in the doctrine – the truth. To be SOUND in the faith, is to be emboldened and assured of the HOPE we have in Christ, and to not be able to be moved by false teachers of WORKS (commandments of Judaism or of natural man).
This is what I believe about being “in the faith”.
The phrase “in the faith” is always about doctrine. The references are about either being in the doctrine, or being STRONG in the doctrine. It is not about works – not about being good and righteous or maintaining good works.
Commandments to be good and obey the works of the law (either law) turn people from the truth.
This is what I’ve concluded: I’ll not go any deeper into the phrase “in the faith”, which occurs 12 times (we’ve seen 7). I believe this summary should do. I welcome you to look at each one and let me know if this explanation does not line up.
Just a little surprise for you, see the next 2 verses after this warning and explanation of “in the faith”:
Titus 1:15-16 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
One is either “in the faith”, or “in works”. And if one is “in works”, “they deny Him… being… unto every good work reprobate.”
If one is “in works”, he is not “in the faith”. For me, this passage proves that being “in the faith” is not by works. In fact, it’s the opposite.
It is having a DOCTRINE of WORKS instead of the doctrine of the hope of the gospel (eternal security in Jesus), that is the problem.
If one is in works, and not “in the faith” all his works are reprobate: rejected as FAKE.
By Pastor • Individual Lessons, Salvation • 0