The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
November 12, 2006
In
This Issue:
Maintain
Good Works
by
Steve Klein
What
Good Thing Shall I Do?
by
Kent Heaton
Maintain Good Works
To maintain something one must give attention to it. To maintain a car, you have to give attention to changing the oil, keeping the tires inflated, checking the fluids, washing and waxing, inspecting the brakes, and having periodic tune-ups performed. Most car owners understand that if they want their car to provide them with reliable long term transportation, they must provide it with maintenance. So, they have a motivation for doing so.
The phrase "maintain good works" occurs twice in Titus chapter three. Titus 3:8 states that "those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works." And Titus 3:14 says, "And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful." Some Christians probably give more attention to their cars than they do to performing good works. We could all do a better job of being "careful to maintain good works." And we will, if we are properly motivated.
So, what is our motivation for maintaining good works? Consider the following:
1. Christ gave Himself for us. Titus 2:14 states that Christ "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." Our enthusiasm for doing good works rests largely in the appreciation we have for what Jesus did for us.
2. God will be glorified. In Matthew 5:16 Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16). 1 Peter 2:12 teaches that people of the world will "glorify God in the day of visitation" because they have observed the good works of Christians. What a wonderful opportunity it is for us to bring glory to the One who has created us, richly blessed us, and promised us eternal life.
3. Encouragement from brethren. As brethren in Christ, we are to "consider one another in order to stir up love and good works" (Hebrews 10:24). We can be motivated or stirred up to do good works by our brethren. Taking food to the sick or visiting the shut-in are things that Christians often do because of the encouragement of a brother or sister.
4. To serve as an example for others. In Titus 2:7, the apostle Paul told Titus, "in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works." All of us have influence on others. Even if we are unaware of it, others (especially children) watch what we do, and may well imitate it. We need to provide a "pattern" of good works for others that is worthy of imitation.
This week, make a conscious effort to do good deeds, and then do the same thing again next week. Make doing good works a habit. You've got plenty of reason to be motivated. Challenge yourself to be more dedicated and consistent in performing good works than you are in maintaining your car, your house, or your yard.
--Steve Klein
"And, behold, one came and said unto him, 'Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life'" (Matthew 19:16)? The young man who came to Jesus was interested in the most important answer of his life. He was a devout Jew who had kept the Law since his youth (v.20). He recognized Jesus as a source of authority to answer his question. As he looked within himself, he questioned if there was something he was lacking. The answer Jesus gave was not the reply that he thought he would face. "Jesus said unto him, 'If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.' But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions" (Matthew 19:21-22).
Salvation comes for those who have an inquiring mind. The young man was interested in eternal life; he came to the right source and asked the right question. His inquiry was honest and seeking truth. The answer given was plain and simple to understand. What he did not come to Jesus with was a heart fully convicted to do whatever it took to find eternal life. His idea of salvation was strictly a means of religious duty - as long as he kept the Law that is all he had to do. He was not prepared for what he really needed to do.
Understanding salvation involves a total willingness to do whatever the Lord requires to obey Him. Often people desire salvation and seek the answers from the right source - His word. They read with interest what the Lord commands, how the disciples carried out His commands and the exhortations of the epistles describing the reason to obey the Lord's commands - but then, turn away sadly because they are asked to do something they do not understand. How excited they are at first to seek the answer to eternal life and then return home weeping because they must do something they find difficult to do.
The jailor of Philippi was not like the young man of Matthew 19. When he stumbled in the darkened cell where Paul and Silas remained, he cried out, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved" (Acts 16:30)? The prisoners "spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household" (Acts 16:33). What was different? The jailor and his household were willing to do whatever was necessary to be saved.
When you come to the Lord seeking salvation, your heart must be open to whatever He speaks to you. The only heart that will be receptive to obedience is one willing to listen and obey everything commanded of God. The young man of Matthew 19 was so close and yet found himself so far from eternal life. He was not willing to listen and obey everything commanded of God.
Every example of obedience in the book of Acts illustrates the character of those who were willing to do whatever was commanded of them by the Lord (Acts 2:14-41; 8:5-13, 35-38; 9:1-18; 22:16; 10: 34-38; 16:13-15, 25-34; 18:8). There were many who did not obey - they were not willing to do ALL that was commanded of them by God. What are you willing to do for eternal life? Are you the rich young ruler or the jailor?
-- Kent Heaton