Bible Matters 388: Do Good

Once you join Team Abba, the devil will tell you that you are saved by the work that Jesus did on the cross.  Believe in the grace of God and you don’t have to do anything!  Then the devil will rattle off this verse:

Ephesians 2:8-9 – 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.

You sit back, grab a beer and say, “God is good. Thank you Lord.”  You invite your buddies over and enjoy another Sunday watching football.  Your wife and child would like to go to the fall festival, but you ignore them.  What you forgot to do after church is look at the next verse! 

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The devil does not want you to understand the truth in God’s word.  On Team Abba, you are God’s workmanship.  Your redemption was made possible by Jesus’s death on the cross and the offer of forgiveness for your sins.  You have been redeemed unto good works and to do the will of God.  Not for the continuation of a sinful life serving the devil.  God is not the minister of sin, but the minister of righteousness!  You do good, to praise him.  You do good because you love God and love your neighbor.  The preponderance of evidence from the witnesses testify to the fact, that God wants you to depart from evil, do good, seek peace and pursue it.

Psalm 34:14 – Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

Psalm 36:3 – The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.

Psalm 37:3,27-29 – Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.  For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. [29] The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

You do good, for all, with fervent acts of charity.  Not just to believers, but to those that may not understand the love of God.  To do good, unto all men.  Be merciful; as God is merciful. 

Matthew 5:44 –  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Luke 6:9,27-28,33,35-37 – Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it ?  But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,  Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.  And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:.

Mark 3:4 – And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

Galatians 6:10 – As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

1 Timothy 6:18 – That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

Hebrews 13:16 – But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Titus 3:8 – This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

1 Peter 3:11 – Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

No one understood God’s message better, than Jesus’s brother, James.  He straight up tells you that you are to be a doer of God’s word.  Do not sit back and gloat over a gift that is offered to you by the death of Jesus on the cross, thinking that you will escape the judgement of God. 

James 1:23 – For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

At least six witnesses have told you to use your talents and to do good.  Don’t waste your time in sin and self-serving opportunities when God is looking for you to do good.  James was so serious that he tells you that to do good and not do it, is sin!

James 4:17 – Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

The Old Testament prophets warned you not to be a fool.  You must understand the word of God for the knowledge on how to do good.

Jeremiah 4:22 – For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

The rest is up to you on Team Abba.  You chose to do good and look forward to standing before God on judgement day or you can sit back, gloat and tell yourself, that Jesus did it all and you don’t have to do good in order to be saved.  You can ignore the testimony of the witnesses or choose to follow them and please God.  Your choice!

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.