Grace for Good Works

**Grace for Good Works* 

 *Study Text: 2 Corinthians 9:8* 

 *Introduction:* 

-         The Bible describes GRACE as God's riches made available to us freely but at the expense of Christ. 2 Corinthians 8: 9.

-       This grace of God is of two folds:

1.   The Saving Grace : The grace that brings salvation to us through faith in the word of God. Titus 2: 11 - 14.

2.     The Enabling Grace:  The grace that keeps us going in the will of God, and that enables us to do all that is expected from us as a result of our salvation, which is described as good works.

-        So, we are not saved by good works, but we are saved to do good works. As we connect to the saving grace for our salvation, we need to connect continually to the enabling grace, so that we can abound in good works. Ephesians 2:10.

Outlines:

1.      The Purpose of Good Works

2.       The Pattern of Good Works


 *1.     The Purpose of Good Works* 

-        When we do good works without genuinely experiencing salvation by grace, or when we depend on our good works as a means of pleasing God, we are only displaying self-righteousness, which before God is described as filthy rags.

-        Grace needs no works to make you righteous through salvation. But once you are made righteous, good works are the outworking and manifestation of God’s grace in your life. 

-       There are several reasons why we should connect to the grace of God continually and be full of good works:

1.   To Fulfill the Purpose of Our Salvation

-       If the sole purpose of our salvation is to make heaven, God would have taken us away immediately after our salvation.

-        The main purpose of our salvation is to do good works. So when our lives as Christian are full of good works, we are actually fulfilling the purpose of our being saved.  Colossians 1: 9 - 10

2.      To Brighten Our Light and Enhance Our Capacity for Witnessing

-      We are expected to witness for Christ and win souls to His Kingdom. Good works will brighten  your light, and greatly enhance your witness to the world. Matthew 5:14 - 16

3.       Good Works gives us Reputation and Identity as Christian

 -      Every true child of God can be identified by the kinds of fruits he bears. Good works are part of the fruits that give you a reputation and an identity as a true child of God. 

-        We have the testimony of Tabitha that she was full of good works. When she died, the widows came out with evidence of her good works as a means of pleading with God while the woman must come back to life. Acts 9:36 - 41.

4.        Good Works Form the Basis for Our Earthly and Eternal Rewards

-      God will always reward the faithfulness of His people, both in this world and in the one to come. Good works are the measures of our  faithfulness to God, and will be rewarded.
 2 Corinthians 5:9 - 10, Galatians 6:9, Revelation 14:13.

5.      To  Serve as Pattern and to Provoke Other Believers unto Good Works

 -      It is a great blessing to be a godly example and a positive role model to others. You can be a godly example to  others by your good works and encourage them to do good works. Titus 2:7, Hebrews 10:24.

6.     To Glorify God with Our Lives  

-       We are created to glorify God. Our good works are one of the areas our lives can bring glory to God. John 15: 8 - 9.


 *2.        The Pattern of Good Works* 

-        Good works include everything thought to us and all instructions unto righteousness in the word of God that is necessary for us to live towards perfection in the sight of God.  2 Timothy 3: 16 - 17.

-       Some of the things expected of us as our good works after salvation are:

1.      Living to please God, and producing the fruits of righteousness.

-        The new life in Christ is an uncompromising evidence of our new birth. 2 Corinthians 5: 15 - 17. 

-     Our good works after salvation must begin in a live that is pleasing unto God, in righteousness and true holiness. Titus 2: 11 - 15.

2.     Living in peaceful relationship with all men continually.

-      It is part of our good works in Christ to dwell in peace and maintain pleasant relationship in our families, places of work, neighborhood, in the Church of God and all around us. Hebrews 12:14.

-       Whenever there is conflict, as children of God, we must not be the one that initiated it, and we must not be the one prolonging it, but rather be willing to sacrifice to end it. Ephesians 4: 30 - 32.

-        We are equally expected to play the role of peace makers between conflicting individuals or groups. Matthew 5:9.

3.     Giving to support the poor and the needy

-        We must be willing to sacrifice to be able to support the poor and those that are in need, with joy, as the Lord supplies the grace. 1 Timothy 6: 17 - 19.

-         We are to support both the believers and the unbelievers, but where choices has to be made, the believers should be given preference. Galatians 6: 9 - 10.

4.       Given to support the work of God in Churches and to support the Ministers of God.

-       As part of our good works, we must be committed to supporting the works in the Church financially and materially. We must be faithful to payment of offerings, tithes and special contributions as occasions may arise.

-        It is the will of God to bless our leaders and ministers with money and material things as they bless us with spiritual things.

-          All these must be done willingly and not grudgingly or out of compulsion, but it can also be done sacrificially. 2 Corinthians 8: 1 - 5.

5.     Releasing yourself for the service of God in His Church

-        Everyone must be willing to do one responsibility or the other in Church, either those that you are assigned, or the ones you volunteered.

-       No one is left out, and no assignment is too low to be despised or underrated. 

6.      Commitment to witnessing and soul winning.

-          The greatest assignment given to us by our Lord is to witness for Him and win souls to the kingdom of God. Matthew 28: 18 - 20.

-          This, we must do faithfully as individuals and together as the Church.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

WINNING IN BATTLES OF LIFE

Breaking the Satanic Chains by the Anointing

Triumphing Over Afflictions