Finally Whatever Things Are Good ...
I was looking over one of the passages in the Word of God that tell me how I should live. Since I am a teacher of the Word, I should be careful to act according to what I say. The passage that I am speaking of indicates that "... those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds." That passage is in Titus 3:
[Titus 3:5] "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, [6] whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs *according to the hope of eternal life. [8] This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. [9] But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law"
So what am I to make of this in my own life? The passage tells me that the good deeds that I do are not anything of merit to deserve his rich blessings, but are an outpouring of thankfulness to whom God is and what He has done for us in Christ Jesus. Sometimes in evangelical churches we loose our focus, concentrating mostly on doctrine to the exclusion of doing good for others. Doing good is something that should come naturally because we are trying to imitate Christ in our lives - He gave and we should give in like manner. It also tells us in this passage to avoid foolish controversies, those things that really in the end do not advance the cause of Christ. Some individuals will not listen to reason and some controversies do not have anything to do with our salvation which is from God through Christ. We are regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit, and through this combination we can look at things freshly and in a different light from day to day as we discover whom the Lord really is.
[Phil 4:8] Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is *lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, *dwell on these things. [9] The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
I got some work to do.
- LW
[Titus 3:5] "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, [6] whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs *according to the hope of eternal life. [8] This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. [9] But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law"
So what am I to make of this in my own life? The passage tells me that the good deeds that I do are not anything of merit to deserve his rich blessings, but are an outpouring of thankfulness to whom God is and what He has done for us in Christ Jesus. Sometimes in evangelical churches we loose our focus, concentrating mostly on doctrine to the exclusion of doing good for others. Doing good is something that should come naturally because we are trying to imitate Christ in our lives - He gave and we should give in like manner. It also tells us in this passage to avoid foolish controversies, those things that really in the end do not advance the cause of Christ. Some individuals will not listen to reason and some controversies do not have anything to do with our salvation which is from God through Christ. We are regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit, and through this combination we can look at things freshly and in a different light from day to day as we discover whom the Lord really is.
[Phil 4:8] Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is *lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, *dwell on these things. [9] The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
I got some work to do.
- LW