Back in December, I posted about a sermon I'd heard, which stirred up more questions than it answered. I reached out to the person preaching, and they then preached a follow-up sermon (I don't think I was the only one who asked questions), which helped some, but still left me scratching my head. I have not had the chance to talk to this person about the questions their teaching raised, but it does yield an excellent opportunity for me to dig in to the Word myself and ask the Holy Spirit to help me understand what God is trying to show me here.
One of the main verses he centered his sermon on was Ephesians 2:8-10. Ephesians 2:10 has been sort of this anchor that God gave me to hang on to a few years ago when the worry and anxiety of what my girls' futures would look like...when I read that verse, it was a moment I will not forget. I pulled out my last Classic Pooh (I love Winnie the Pooh) oversized postcard and I wrote that verse out with each of their names in the place of 'we'. Many, many days I pull that out and preach it to myself. I know God has good plans for me, for my husband, for our girls, for my mom and friends and sisters and family...but one of the hard parts for me in reading, studying, and doing of the Word is where is the dividing line between what I am responsible to do vs. resting and letting God.
When I first began digging in to this concept one of the first things I needed to be sure I had squared away in my own heart was this:
Justification vs Sanctification:
1) Justification (declaring we are righteous, our sin is paid for) is from God and God alone through His Son Jesus Christ. (The Gospel in its entirety, Romans 5:1 - 21, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:7, Galatians 3:24, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 3:11...and on and on - it is a thread woven throughout the entire Bible, if you want specific verses to study start here: OpenBible (what does the Bible say about Justification)
2) Sanctification is the transforming work done - it starts with God, is done through the Holy Spirit and transforms our entire mind, body, heart, spirit...it is the growing in righteousness that happens with justification. The way I understand it is this, in the moment of justification, it is somewhat like this : your child is born, you name it, it is yours - you have called it by name, but in sanctification - the child grows into that name - becoming all that they were created to be. At the moment of justification, God names us righteous. Then we need to grow up into the righteousness, (sanctification).
This point of growing up into what God accomplished for me, this is where I struggle to understand the concept of 'good works'. Good works are not just to serve other people, but they are done in obedience to God and in the pursuit of holiness (sanctification). But the process of holiness is started by, carried out through the work of the Holy Spirit in my heart. So how do I know what good works God is calling me to do vs. me becoming legalistic and checking off a list of dos and don'ts. Or maybe a better way to frame this question is what is the difference between 'good works' and 'works of the law'?
One thing I read just this morning helped shed some light on this - am I trying to earn salvation, or commendation/acceptance by doing this work? That is a work of the law. Am I following God and asking, seeking, seeing His provision to obey Him? If so, then I am walking in His grace, these actions that flow from His provision of obedience, these are the good works He prepared for me.
John Piper preached a sermon in the 80's, and he listed five steps towards walking by the Spirit that I find enormously helpful. This is a very practical guide to understanding good works that are led by the Spirit instead of done by the flesh. I am just summarizing his thoughts here (but please, please take the time to read his sermon in it's entirety - link provided)
1) Acknowledge - you must come to the realization that apart from God you are hopeless and helpless to do any good at all.
2) Pray - Pray 1 Thessalonians 3:12 - God, please establish my heart in love, cause me to increase and overflow with love for others *struggling with anyone/thing in particular? Pray specifically for that area - for God to cause you to increase and overflow with love for _________. And Hebrews 13:21 - God please equip me with every good thing to do Your will and work in me what is pleasing according to Your will.
3) Trust - we must believe that what God says in His Word is true. Proceed in confident faith that God is going to accomplish our sanctification.
4) Act - notice it is the second to last step. It is preceded by humble surrender, prayer, and faith.
5) Thankfulness - giving thanks to God for the provision, for His Spirit, for His strength, His forgiveness.
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