Do blood-bought, Spirit-empowered works bring us approval before God?
“What I want to know is whether you believe that works done through the Spirit bring us approval with God, works done through the blood of Christ. Do these works, Spirit-wrought blood bought works, do they bring us approval to God? I believe that even these works, though they flow from the death of Christ, do not bring us approval from God. It is Christ and His righteous life on earth and His death that brings us approval before God. Indeed, God justifies the ungodly, according to Romans. Christ does not approve us based on the fruit in our lives but based on His Son's life and death. We are approved solely on the righteous life and death of God's Son. The fruit that God produces in us is a testimony to the fact that we are children of God, but the good fruit or even the Spirit-wrought works that we do do not bring us approval before God. Our approval is found in Christ's righteous life and His death on the cross. Christ's resurrection is proof that God has accepted this means of the salvation of the elect.” – a sincere question
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In the light of such a question, dear friend, please suffer me to ask you a question…
Does your faith bring you approval before God, or, does the Person and Work of Christ give you approval before God? Finally, I would ask you, is there a connection between faith and righteous deeds? Or in other words, also, what is the connection between imputed righteousness and righteousness in works?
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My reader, I believe I know what your answer will be.
Answer: A man can be saved through (and not without) faith in the Person and Work of Christ.
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My question is, does your blood-bought and Spirit-empowered faith bring you approval before God? If you say that a man cannot be saved by the merits of Christ’s Person and Work WITHOUT faith, then is faith gained or faith lost a salvation that is based upon “something” in addition to the Person and Work of Christ (i.e. a “work”)? A nominal Calvinist who believes in Lordship Salvation would shout the answer, “NO!” But if the answer is no, then let me ask you, dear reader: If faith gained is “no work”, then faith lost is “no work”, right? At the moment faith is gained, saving conversion in Christ is experienced! Even so, also, at the moment faith is lost, saving grace is lost. If the former gain is not a “work”, then neither is the loss of what was formerly gained. If faith gained does not rival and contest salvation in Christ alone, then faith lost should not rival or contest salvation in Christ alone, and if faith gained or faith lost is evidenced by blood-bought and Spirit-empowered works, who are we to decry “works” as a means of Final Judgment (meaning that Christ, at Final Judgment, does thereby – through works – make the judgment if men have saving faith in Christ)!?
The nominal Calvinist has a superstitious and over-simplistic understanding of justification, the same superstition which is pervading much of God’s dear remnant. It is a seeming intelligent way of reasoning, and yet, it nullifies scriptural commands. According to a superstitious reasoning about salvation “in Christ alone apart from works”, biblical commands, warnings, promises, behaviors, prayers, and heart-conditions are nullified. These over-simplistic statements need to be challenged by scripture and held in conformity thereto, no matter how “illogical” it feels to our deceitful hearts. For example: If one says, “My blood-bought and Spirit-empowered works cannot ever gain me approval before God”, a question that needs to be asked is, “Do you mean to say that you can go to heaven without, as Jesus said, “keeping My works unto the end” (Rev. 2:26)? My reader, do you believe the Church of Thyatira would have gone to heaven if they didn’t keep Christ’s “works” unto the end” (Rev. 2:26)? What about the “works” of the other Churches (Rev. 2:2, 9, 13, 19, 26, 3:1, 2, 8, 15)? Do you believe the Church of Sardis would have gone to heaven if Christ did not find their “works perfect before God” (Rev. 3:2)? Would Sardis go to heaven if they failed to, “be watchful” (Rev. 3:2), “remember” (Rev. 3:3), and “walk” (Rev. 3:4)? For Sardis, are these “works” gaining or losing approval before God, upon which hinged their eternal standing? What about the “somewhat” that Christ had “against” the Church of Ephesus (Rev. 2:4), or, the “few things against” Pergamos (Rev. 2:14), and the “few things against” Thyatira (Rev. 2:20)? Do you deny that Christ does “give unto every one of [us] according to [our] works” (Rev. 2:23)? Please, my reader, let me remind you of the sincere question stated at the outset of this appendix:
The nominal Calvinist has a superstitious and over-simplistic understanding of justification, the same superstition which is pervading much of God’s dear remnant. It is a seeming intelligent way of reasoning, and yet, it nullifies scriptural commands. According to a superstitious reasoning about salvation “in Christ alone apart from works”, biblical commands, warnings, promises, behaviors, prayers, and heart-conditions are nullified. These over-simplistic statements need to be challenged by scripture and held in conformity thereto, no matter how “illogical” it feels to our deceitful hearts. For example: If one says, “My blood-bought and Spirit-empowered works cannot ever gain me approval before God”, a question that needs to be asked is, “Do you mean to say that you can go to heaven without, as Jesus said, “keeping My works unto the end” (Rev. 2:26)? My reader, do you believe the Church of Thyatira would have gone to heaven if they didn’t keep Christ’s “works” unto the end” (Rev. 2:26)? What about the “works” of the other Churches (Rev. 2:2, 9, 13, 19, 26, 3:1, 2, 8, 15)? Do you believe the Church of Sardis would have gone to heaven if Christ did not find their “works perfect before God” (Rev. 3:2)? Would Sardis go to heaven if they failed to, “be watchful” (Rev. 3:2), “remember” (Rev. 3:3), and “walk” (Rev. 3:4)? For Sardis, are these “works” gaining or losing approval before God, upon which hinged their eternal standing? What about the “somewhat” that Christ had “against” the Church of Ephesus (Rev. 2:4), or, the “few things against” Pergamos (Rev. 2:14), and the “few things against” Thyatira (Rev. 2:20)? Do you deny that Christ does “give unto every one of [us] according to [our] works” (Rev. 2:23)? Please, my reader, let me remind you of the sincere question stated at the outset of this appendix:
“I believe that even these works, though they flow from the death of Christ, do not bring us approval from God.”
“The fruit that God produces in us is a testimony to the fact that we are children of God, but the good fruit or even the Spirit-wrought works that we do do not bring us approval before God. Our approval is found in Christ's righteous life and His death on the cross.” |
Dear reader, is this your heart? If so, what do you mean? Do you mean to say that I can go to heaven even if I don’t, like Paul, “work out [my] own salvation with fear and trembling” (Php. 2:12)? If I didn’t do this “work” (Php. 2:12), would I still be approved before God? Are you saying that “faith which worketh by love” avails to nothing (Gal. 5:6)? Do you mean to say that I should never “labour” that I “may be accepted of [Christ]” on Judgment Day (2 Cor. 5:9)? Are you saying that I need not run so as to win the prize, because Christ already ran (1 Cor. 9:24-27)? Are you saying that if I do not run, I will still win the incorruptible crown of eternal life (1 Cor. 9:25)? Are you saying that I should not set my heart on running that I might obtain the crown, because running takes into consideration whether or not I will be approved before God on Judgment Day – a thing which, you say, I need not do? Are you saying that I need not ever fear losing my everlasting life (my approval before God) if, when I am tried, I am near fainting instead of enduring unto the end (Rev. 2:10, Heb. 3:6, 14)? Are you saying that a man should never have “patient continuance in well doing” so as to “seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life” (Rom. 2:7)? Are you saying that I need not “fight” to “lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:12)? Are you saying that Christ will finally Judge my approval before Him without reference to or mindfulness of blood-bought and Spirit-empowered works, as indicators of saving faith?
Are you saying that the sheep would have gone to heaven (been approved before God), even if they never, as Christ said, “gave”, “took”, “clothed”, and “visited” (Matt. 25:35-40)? Are you saying their approval has no reference to what they have “done” (Matt. 25:40), and that a Christian is in sin if they are mindful for what they must do, in this way, so as to be approved on Judgment Day? Are you saying that a man does not need to continue to believe in the gospel, that he might be approved before God on Judgment Day? Are you saying that the Rich Man of Mark 10 could go to heaven, even if he did not sell all that he had and give it to the poor (Mark 10:21)? Are you saying that the rich Christians of 1 Timothy 6:17-19 will go to heaven even if they do not “do good”? Are you saying that these rich Christians will go to heaven even if they are not “rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate”? Are you saying that is a sin to “do” anything, that we might “lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:19)? Then why are these Christians commanded to do all these things, “that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:19)?
Would Paul have gone to heaven if he did not bring his body under subjection (1 Cor. 9:27)? Was it a sin for him to say that he would have been a castaway (one who is disapproved at Final Judgment), if he failed to bring his body under subjection? Are you saying that I should never “hear” the sayings of Jesus Christ and do them, being minded that “whosoever heareth these sayings” and “doeth them”, will pass the trial of Final Judgment (being “founded upon the rock”)? Are you saying it is a sin to fear a great fall on Final Judgment if I am one who “heareth” the “sayings” of Jesus and “doeth them not” (Matt. 7:26)? Are you saying that I need not ever “take heed” (1 Cor. 10:12, Luke 21:34) to myself, after I am regenerated, “lest at any time [my] heart be overcharged with surfeiting [over-eating], and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that Day come upon [me] unawares”, to the end that I am “accounted” unworthy “to stand before the Son of Man” (Lk. 21:34-36)? Are you saying that I should never fear perishing if I fail to do the Spirit-empowered work called, “Watch therefore and pray always” (Lk. 21:36)? Would you say that, in all these ways, God judges a man’s faith and approval before God, “without works” (James 2:20)? Would you say that Abraham or Rahab were finally justified (or declared righteous at Final Judgment) in some other way than “by works” (see James 2:22, 24, 25)?
My reader, I ask you all these questions to beg the answer: That our understanding of the eternal sufficiency of Christ’s Person and Work must coincide and not contradict all these passages of scripture!
Any doctrine of “justification” or “meritorious salvation” which does NOT include the former descriptions - of feeling, thinking, praying, living, and doing – is a tradition and superstition of man which makes void the commandments of God. These things which I have formerly mentioned are products of saving faith, and more so, a product of Christ in us, therefore it can be said in truth – these things are not separate from the Person and Work of Christ, but they are evidences of the Person and Work of Christ, literally speaking, as He is living and working through the people in whom He has indwelt. Dear reader, let me ask you some final questions: If a man’s “working” has ceased (as I have formerly cited in scripture), do you affirm that there is no cessation to salvation? Then my friend, we disagree on what salvation is. These fruits exhibit, evidence, and verify salvation, because indeed they are salvation, practically speaking, and where these fruits are not there is no salvation. Where no love is, God is not, therefore even so, where these deeds are absent Christ and His salvation are also absent.
Are you saying that the sheep would have gone to heaven (been approved before God), even if they never, as Christ said, “gave”, “took”, “clothed”, and “visited” (Matt. 25:35-40)? Are you saying their approval has no reference to what they have “done” (Matt. 25:40), and that a Christian is in sin if they are mindful for what they must do, in this way, so as to be approved on Judgment Day? Are you saying that a man does not need to continue to believe in the gospel, that he might be approved before God on Judgment Day? Are you saying that the Rich Man of Mark 10 could go to heaven, even if he did not sell all that he had and give it to the poor (Mark 10:21)? Are you saying that the rich Christians of 1 Timothy 6:17-19 will go to heaven even if they do not “do good”? Are you saying that these rich Christians will go to heaven even if they are not “rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate”? Are you saying that is a sin to “do” anything, that we might “lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:19)? Then why are these Christians commanded to do all these things, “that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:19)?
Would Paul have gone to heaven if he did not bring his body under subjection (1 Cor. 9:27)? Was it a sin for him to say that he would have been a castaway (one who is disapproved at Final Judgment), if he failed to bring his body under subjection? Are you saying that I should never “hear” the sayings of Jesus Christ and do them, being minded that “whosoever heareth these sayings” and “doeth them”, will pass the trial of Final Judgment (being “founded upon the rock”)? Are you saying it is a sin to fear a great fall on Final Judgment if I am one who “heareth” the “sayings” of Jesus and “doeth them not” (Matt. 7:26)? Are you saying that I need not ever “take heed” (1 Cor. 10:12, Luke 21:34) to myself, after I am regenerated, “lest at any time [my] heart be overcharged with surfeiting [over-eating], and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that Day come upon [me] unawares”, to the end that I am “accounted” unworthy “to stand before the Son of Man” (Lk. 21:34-36)? Are you saying that I should never fear perishing if I fail to do the Spirit-empowered work called, “Watch therefore and pray always” (Lk. 21:36)? Would you say that, in all these ways, God judges a man’s faith and approval before God, “without works” (James 2:20)? Would you say that Abraham or Rahab were finally justified (or declared righteous at Final Judgment) in some other way than “by works” (see James 2:22, 24, 25)?
My reader, I ask you all these questions to beg the answer: That our understanding of the eternal sufficiency of Christ’s Person and Work must coincide and not contradict all these passages of scripture!
Any doctrine of “justification” or “meritorious salvation” which does NOT include the former descriptions - of feeling, thinking, praying, living, and doing – is a tradition and superstition of man which makes void the commandments of God. These things which I have formerly mentioned are products of saving faith, and more so, a product of Christ in us, therefore it can be said in truth – these things are not separate from the Person and Work of Christ, but they are evidences of the Person and Work of Christ, literally speaking, as He is living and working through the people in whom He has indwelt. Dear reader, let me ask you some final questions: If a man’s “working” has ceased (as I have formerly cited in scripture), do you affirm that there is no cessation to salvation? Then my friend, we disagree on what salvation is. These fruits exhibit, evidence, and verify salvation, because indeed they are salvation, practically speaking, and where these fruits are not there is no salvation. Where no love is, God is not, therefore even so, where these deeds are absent Christ and His salvation are also absent.
“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” – Matthew 10:37-39
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Dear reader, consider Matthew 10:37-39. A man who has no faith (before conversion), Christ has said he is “unworthy”. Does this mean a man must be “worthy” for salvation in Christ, which means, therefore, he must “work” to make himself worthy to come to Christ? No…but the text is saying that, if a man does not have this heart, these experiences, or these responses upon hearing the gospel message of Christ, he is not “worthy” because he has no faith. Faith is evidenced by these descriptions, in thought, word, and deed. Judging by the same indicators, the absence of saving faith (before conversion) is described just as the cessation of saving faith (after conversion), both men are not “worthy”. Therefore salvation obtained and salvation lost is expressed by the use of these terms (which hinge upon Christ’s work of salvation, conditional upon faith) is not, itself, an expression of man’s “approval” based upon works, even though without these “works” a man does indeed become unapproved. A man who discontinues faith, Christ has said that He is unworthy, blamable, rebukable, spotted, etc. These words verbalize the Divine-disapproval of the man (because he has lost faith). For more concerning the topic of “worthiness” for a regenerate individual (as seen in the scripture), please listen to the sermon: The New Testament Call for Worthiness.
“Many would accuse the doctrine of losing salvation that it is based upon a misunderstanding of grace, reliance upon works, and a negating of faith. Oh hypocrites! If we believe we have received salvation, not apart from but through saving faith, how then is the loss of saving faith a salvation based upon works? If faith gained was no work, then faith lost is also no work. The sovereignty of God is evidenced by a man’s inability to come to Christ, because the man has an inability to believe – meaning faith “is the gift of God” (Eph. 2) “according as God hath dealt to every man” (Rom. 12:3). But what if God, in His sovereignty, does shew forth those who are elect as “vessels of wrath fitted to destruction” by their eventual discontinuance of faith and repentance, while formerly, they were able to obtain salvation through faith and repentance, and conclusively, He glorifies His own eternal integrity before, during, and after their fall, as an exultation of judgment outside the realm of our logical comprehension and understanding?! Thus, it is a glorification of God’s sovereignty. Of this glory, it is written, “no flesh can glory in His presence”, therefore these attributes of judgment are to be wondered at from below, a looking up at the loft of infinite purity in sovereign, just pleasure.”
Please remember, my reader! I believe what you have stated in your sincere question - that it is by Christ's life and righteousness ALONE we can be justified or find approval before God, but I do not believe that God examines "Christ's life and righteousness" in a singular sense, only in the past tense relationship that we have by creed (in that we have believed in what God did 2000 years ago, but God looks at our relationship with Christ's life and righteousness TODAY, if we are therein abiding (by faith and repentance in a Christ who is not dead but alive, and we, being much more saved by His life [see Romans 5]). I am not debating if there is anything else OTHER THAN Christ who justifies us, but I am contending against an over-simplistic understanding of that justification - in how it is discerned by God and experienced by us, in the past tense (as we relate to what He accomplished on the cross), presently and progressively (as we relate to Him today based upon what He did on the cross), and finally (because Christ will be vindicated at Final Judgment through what He did, at Calvary, yes, but also in our individual lives presently and progressively, for we are His workmanship), according to the scriptures.
“Many would accuse the doctrine of losing salvation that it is based upon a misunderstanding of grace, reliance upon works, and a negating of faith. Oh hypocrites! If we believe we have received salvation, not apart from but through saving faith, how then is the loss of saving faith a salvation based upon works? If faith gained was no work, then faith lost is also no work. The sovereignty of God is evidenced by a man’s inability to come to Christ, because the man has an inability to believe – meaning faith “is the gift of God” (Eph. 2) “according as God hath dealt to every man” (Rom. 12:3). But what if God, in His sovereignty, does shew forth those who are elect as “vessels of wrath fitted to destruction” by their eventual discontinuance of faith and repentance, while formerly, they were able to obtain salvation through faith and repentance, and conclusively, He glorifies His own eternal integrity before, during, and after their fall, as an exultation of judgment outside the realm of our logical comprehension and understanding?! Thus, it is a glorification of God’s sovereignty. Of this glory, it is written, “no flesh can glory in His presence”, therefore these attributes of judgment are to be wondered at from below, a looking up at the loft of infinite purity in sovereign, just pleasure.”
Please remember, my reader! I believe what you have stated in your sincere question - that it is by Christ's life and righteousness ALONE we can be justified or find approval before God, but I do not believe that God examines "Christ's life and righteousness" in a singular sense, only in the past tense relationship that we have by creed (in that we have believed in what God did 2000 years ago, but God looks at our relationship with Christ's life and righteousness TODAY, if we are therein abiding (by faith and repentance in a Christ who is not dead but alive, and we, being much more saved by His life [see Romans 5]). I am not debating if there is anything else OTHER THAN Christ who justifies us, but I am contending against an over-simplistic understanding of that justification - in how it is discerned by God and experienced by us, in the past tense (as we relate to what He accomplished on the cross), presently and progressively (as we relate to Him today based upon what He did on the cross), and finally (because Christ will be vindicated at Final Judgment through what He did, at Calvary, yes, but also in our individual lives presently and progressively, for we are His workmanship), according to the scriptures.
As a parenthetical note which digresses from the content of the book, please see the video below. Ravenhill addresses the very burden I undertook to prove in this appendix. Ravenhill's burden in the following video can be summarized as, the need to REDISCOVER THE JUDGMENT SEAT as a means for saints to FEAR GOD... Oh God, open our eyes to this burden!
"To the Calvinist"
by Leonard Ravenhill
by Leonard Ravenhill
The Major Burdens
The Idolatry of Church History:
"We've too many preachers studying Church History, and too few preachers making history. Studying Church History is an indoctrination which, very often becomes I think... 'brain washing'." (beware of "blind indoctrination") Is modern Christianity the blood-bought Church? "He didn't die for this freak of a thing! This powerless thing!This pale, pathetic, powerless, putrid Protestantism that dares to label itself with His Name!" Is the Holy Ghost always with a man? "The Holy Ghost may not come back to you... Some of you preachers are preaching a theology and you're sheltering behind a denomination, and you're scared stiff to preach the revelations God has given you..." "God's going to do a new thing in this generation." How does a Saint Backslide? "Resist. Strive. Grieve. ...when you finish that, He leaves you. You can't get back to God when you want." Blood Atonement: "I have to put off the old man. I have to put on the new man. I have to renounce this world..." "We're living in bankruptcy as the Church of Jesus Christ, compared with where we ought to live." "Paul says, you're to put on the whole armor of God - it's not something automatic you've got to put it on." (shun over-simplistic definitions of The Atonement) To the Backslider: "Tonight, in one act of mercy, He can take your record and cast it behind His back forever..." "He'll be weeping until you come back. You said no to His blood." (a backslider is a regenerated man under the guilt of unforgiven sin) Cleansing From Sin: "Lord, I'm glad that Fountain is still open tonight..." (cleansing from sin is a present continuous experience) We're Going to be Found Out: "But if I am living now with eternal life, why should I need to change before I get into heaven?" "'Don't you worry, God will never forsake you... it doesn't matter, you may leave Him but He will never leave you.' That is entirely against the scripture." "If the Spirit troubles you this morning, thank God He is troubling you... before you go to hell." |
What Pastoral Burden?
"You think they'd go in to that sin if they had an eye on the Judgment Seat?" (that the fallen would be restored by rediscovering the Judgment Seat) The State of the Church: "The Church is asleep today." "God only had one problem in the Old Testament, and that was Israel. And I believe Almighty God only has one problem in the world tonight, and it's not communism or romanism, it's the Church of the Living God!" "The Glory has departed!" (the Church has fallen asleep... are you awake?) The Church needs God: "You're too late, I'm getting rid of you. Your House is left desolate. You say America needs God, no she doesn't... the Church needs God! If the Church gets God, America would soon feel it - she'd be staggering." "There's one promise God hasn't kept... I think He's about to do it: He said He'd spew us out of His mouth." Who's the Bride of Christ? #1) Him that overcometh. #2) Those of us who are living in victory #3) Walking in the Light. #4) Walking in the Spirit. #5) No bitterness. #6) No defeat. #7) Your living in union with the will of God. #8) People hate you and despise you. "You don't want Jesus to come as you are now..." The State of the Church: "Your Church has no vision, because you have no vision. The Church has no passion, because you have no passion." "He's not coming for a limping, lame, ragged woman..." "The hindrance to His coming tonight is that the Church is impure." "Do you think Jesus died for this dirty, rotten system we call 'Christianity'?" (preacher, have you prepared the Bride?) A Midnight Cry: "There is only one reason that the world is going to hell tonight, and that is because of the unbelief of the Church." "I believe almost (not all), almost every pulpit in the land is an insult to the Lord Jesus today." (will you respond to the cry?) |