The Difference Between Christian Good Works and Dead Works!

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The quote above by D. Martin Lloyd-Jones really speaks the truth. Considering it's Christmas season one can see the difference between a Christmas tree where decorations are just hanged and a living tree that bear fruit makes a difference. Any apologist of false religion may ask a Christian apologist, "What about the atheist who does good works? He's certainly not saved, isn't he?" That's a good question then.

Hebrews 10:14 states, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" Every "good" work done by the unbeliever is good as dead. Isaiah 64:6 says, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." The righteousness of the unsaved is something that we realize is filthy and unacceptable before God.

The genuine believer is bound to produce good works. Although salvation is by faith alone but this faith that grows is never alone. Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Good works are ordained to the life of the believer as an inevitable result. Titus 2:11-14 states, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Here's another illustration that might be best brought up. What's the motive behind doing acts of goodness between the saved and the unsaved. We can all talk about the Pharisees and the saved sinners. The Pharisees did everything they could in hope of winning God's favor. Today, the works salvation thinks that they're pretty justified by their own contribution. On the other hand, the saved person does good works as the inevitable result of having been saved from sin. It's 100% impossible to get saved and to never change. I have no reason to believe that those true converts can live all they want because God's grace defeats sin. Only false converts think they have a license to sin. Those who are truly saved no longer want to live their old life.


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