All right, turn with me, if you
would, to 2 Thessalonians chapter 3. 2 Thessalonians 3, we got a little
sidetracked from the book of 2 Thessalonians, but we're going to come back
to it for our Bible study. Our text is going to be verses
4 and 5, but let's begin reading in verse 1. 2 Thessalonians 3 verse 1. Finally,
brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free
course and be glorified even as it is with you, and that we
may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for all men have
not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who
shall establish you and keep you from evil, And we have confidence
in the Lord touching you, that you both do and will do the things
which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts
into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. Now, let me tell you the point
of this Bible study. I'm going to get to the punch
line. Here's the end of the whole thing. In verse four, he said,
we have confidence in the Lord touching you or concerning you. He did not say we have confidence
in you. He didn't say that. I don't have
one stitch of confidence in myself to do the will of God concerning
me. I don't have one stitch of confidence
in myself. If I had to have confidence in
myself To do his will concerning me to do the things he's commanded
me. The only thing I could be confident of is that it wouldn't
happen. I could be absolutely confident
of that only. So thank God he did not say we
have confidence in you. We've told you what to do. And
we have confidence in you that you'll do it. He said we have
confidence in the Lord concerning you. In verse five, he said,
the Lord will direct your hearts into the love of God and into
the patient waiting for Christ. He did not say. Now you need
to direct your hearts into the love of God. Which is what most
people stand up and say. Now you, y'all, you better listen.
Now you better direct your hearts into the light. He did not say
that. He said, God will direct your
heart. I don't want any of the directions
being left up to me. None. So the point of this Bible
study is whatever is going to be done concerning us, in us,
by us, our confidence is in the fact that God will be the one
to do it. He will be. Now verse 4 says,
we have confidence in the Lord touching you that you both do
and will do the things which we command you. The Lord willing,
next time we're here, we will look at what it is that Paul
commanded them to do. He said, we have confidence that
you do and we'll do what we command you. We'll hopefully see that
next time. Today, I'd like us to see if
the Lord will give us some clarity on a believer's works in general. How do they relate to our salvation? The things believers do, the
things believers should do, the things believers will do. How
important are they? How do they relate to us as children
of God? He said, we have confidence that
you do and will do certain things. All right, let's take a look
at those, some of those things. doing things, namely the commandments
of this word is called works. That's what the scripture, that's
how the scripture refers to it. That involves anything that earns
something, anything that is worthy of a payment, anything that could
come from us that is profitable. The reason that a company hires
an employee. All right. There's one reason
why a company hires an employee. That employee will work all week
long and then the company pays that employee at the end of the
week. The reason is because the employer, the company, See something
in the employee that is profitable to the company. That's why the
company does it. If the company doesn't see that,
the company doesn't hire the employee. They see something
profitable. His work contributed something
profitable. And the company saw value in
it. Because of that contribution,
the company owes him a paycheck. It's owed. That is works. That's works. I believe that's
a pretty accurate description of salvation by works. It involves us earning a payment. It involves us being profitable
to God. It involves us contributing something
that God sees value in. And because we put in our time
and because we finished our work, he owes us a paycheck. All right. He owes us our reward. Heaven. That's works. The opposite of
works is grace. Grace involves anything that
is not earned. Have you ever gotten a bill?
that showed the date that the bill was due. All right, you
get a bill, they give you a date. This is the date that it's due.
It is owed to us, this company on this day, but then You see
another date that's 15 days later. All right, they've got another
date on the bill 15 days later, and it says if it's paid after
this other date, we're going to attach a late fee. Okay, this
is the day it's due. 15 days later, if it's paid after,
we're going to attach a late fee. Do you know what those 15
days are called? A grace period. It's a period
of grace. They're saying, we're going to
freely give you these extra 15 days. We don't have to, we do
not owe it to you. You have done nothing to earn
those extra 15 days. We're just going to show some
kindness. We're going to show some generosity by freely giving
you this period of grace. That period is not profitable
to the company. Those 15 days are the opposite
of profitable to the company. It brings no value to them. It is a total sacrifice on their
part. I believe that's a pretty good
description of salvation by grace. It is not earned. We provide
nothing profitable to God. We bring nothing of any value. It is a total sacrifice on His
part. Now, it has been said, and it's
true, that there are only two messages being preached in the
world. All of the denominations out
of every denomination that exists, there's only two messages being
preached salvation by works and salvation by grace. Either we
earn salvation or God freely gives it to us. It's one of the
two. I'm going to go ahead and tell
us which one God says it is. Whichever one God says it is,
that's the one it is. God says salvation is by grace
is by grace. Turn with me over to second Timothy
chapter one. Second Timothy one verse nine. who hath saved us and called
us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according
to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ
Jesus before the world began. It's not by works, it's by grace. Go with me over to Ephesians
2. Ephesians 2 verse 8 says, for
by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast. This is how we can spot those
who are in false religion. This is how we can tell when
a pastor and a congregation have never seen salvation. Never. They know nothing of God's salvation. They know nothing of what God
has written in his word. This is how we can tell they
cry. Works works. Now, if you want to be saved,
you better start doing those works. All right. That is not
true. That is a lie. That's a false
statement. Verse 9 says, Not of works, lest any man should
boast. Not of works, lest any man should
boast. Now, God reveals this to His people. Everything I've
told, I believe and hope and pray every person in this room
right now knows that and believes that, is convinced of it. All
right, we know it's not by works. We know it's not by works, but
then we read verses of scripture like this. Verse 10. For we are his workmanship created
in Christ Jesus unto good works. which God hath before ordained,
that we should walk in them." What does that mean? What does
that mean? Look at Titus chapter 1. Titus chapter 1 verse 16. They profess that they know God, but in works, they deny him being
abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate. They profess they know him, but everything they do in all
their works, they deny him. Abominable, disobedient, reprobate. Well, I thought that didn't matter. I thought it didn't matter. I thought being profitable to
God didn't matter. I thought works were irrelevant.
I thought you said it was by grace. I thought works were absolutely
irrelevant. Look with me at Titus chapter
2 verse 6. Young men likewise exhort to
be sober minded in all things, showing thyself a pattern of
good works. Everything show a pattern of
good works. Verse 14 who gave himself for us that he might
redeem us. That's grace. That's grace. He freely gave himself for us
that he might make a payment for us and redeem us from all
iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of
good works. That's what he did and why he
did it. Well, Paul, have you changed
your message? Absolutely not. Look at Titus three verse five.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according
to His mercy. He saved us according to the
mercy that we receive in His blood, not getting what we deserve.
According to His mercy, He saved us by the washing of regeneration
and renewing of the Holy Ghost. which He shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace,
we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
He shed His blood for us, and He poured that blood on us abundantly,
that we might be justified before God by His grace, by His free
gift. All right, so what do we make
of all this? This is important. This is really
important. There are some who cry, works,
works, and that is not true. That's not true. There are some
who cry, no works at all, no works at all. And that is also
not true. That's not true. Gabe, how can
you say that and still preach grace? How can you say that and
still preach grace? The answer is by preaching the
word. Just going verse by verse through preaching the word. But
let me show us the answer in the word. Turn with me, if you
would, to Romans chapter four. Romans 4 verse 1, What shall
we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the
flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified
by works, he hath whereof the glory, but not before God. How
was Abraham justified? It wasn't by works, because then
he'd have something to glory in. Verse 3, What saith the scripture? Abraham believed God. through
faith. Faith is not of ourselves, that's
a gift. Through God's gift, Abraham believed God and it was counted
unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the
reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. That's what we were
just talking about a minute ago. You owe it to him. If he works
for it, you have to pay him. You owe it, that's debt. Verse
5, but to him that worketh not, But believeth on him that justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." So what that's
saying is, Abraham was not justified. He was not saved by his works. He was justified by faith. By God's grace giving him a heart
to believe that it was all freely given to him. All by grace, justified
by grace alone, not by works of righteousness, which I have
done by His free grace alone, the gift of that blood alone.
All right, now turn with me to James chapter 2. James 2 verse 14, What doth it profit, my brethren,
though a man say he hath faith and have not works? Can faith
save him? If a brother or sister be naked
and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them,
Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled. Notwithstanding,
you give them not those things which are needful to the body,
what does it profit?" If he comes and says, I'm so hungry, and
you say, bless you brother, go on your way and be full, but
you don't give him anything to eat, what does it profit him?
Verse 7, Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast
faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy
works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest
that there is one God, thou doest well. The devils also believe
and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man,
that faith without works is dead? Verse 21 says, Was not Abraham
our father justified by works when he'd offered Isaac his son
upon the altar? See is how then, how faith wrought
with his works, and by works was faith made perfect. The scripture
was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed
unto him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God.
You see then how that by works a man is justified and not by
faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the
harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers
and had sent them out another way? For as the body without
the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
Well, I guess the Bible contradicts itself. No, it does not. Romans 4 and
James 2 say the exact same thing. Abraham believed God. Faith is the work of grace. Grace freely gave the faith and
God never gives dead faith. Never. James said, a man may
say, I have faith, but he doesn't believe. Oh, I believe there's
a God. He said, that's great. The devils
believe that. I'm talking about believing God. I mean believing
God, believing everything God says about God, everything God
says about man, everything God says about the only thing that
will save us. I'm talking about believing God,
believing in God, yes, but believing on God. He said, a man may say, I have
faith, but he doesn't believe. He said, I will show you the
faith that God has freely given to me without any work on my
part, without earning it on my part. I will show you what he
has done by believing wholly on the Lord Jesus Christ. I will
cast my all on Jesus Christ. Abraham believed God. He believed God. He believed
it was not by my works. He believed God. That's the work
of grace. Abraham bowed to God. God said,
Abraham, take your son and offer him for a sacrifice. Abraham
bowed to the word of God. He submitted to the word of God.
That's the work of grace. God's people bow to the word
of God. Grace is a free gift. Faith is
a free gift. The works that they create in
us, the works that God's grace causes us to do. They're just
the result of the free gift. That's all they are. When God
freely gives grace, He freely gives the evidence of grace. Every time He gives grace, He
gives the evidence of grace. Every time He gives life, alright? He gives life to the womb of
a woman. Every time He gives life, He
gives evidence of life. Every time He gives grace, He
gives evidence of grace. So the gift is his doing, the
works are his doing. Now go with me quickly over to
Philippians 2. Philippians chapter 2. If I had
to produce a work for my salvation or to prove that I was saved,
it'd never be done. I could not do it. but it's not, it's not left up
to us. It's not by our works. Verse
13 Philippians two verse 13 says for it is God which worketh in
you both to will and to do Of his good pleasure, every good
work that is done by a believer. It is God doing the work and
he will do the work. He will do the work. He will do the work. To say you
know you you say this is it's all by grace. This is all a free
gift now just come to Christ. To stand up and say this is free.
It's free now just come to Christ. We can't come to Christ. We can't. We are dead in trespasses and
sins, walk up to a dead man and say, just come to Christ, come
to Christ. He can't come to Christ. He's
dead. We cannot come to Christ, but
we will come to Christ. We say, believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and thou shalt be saved. And that's a fact. Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ, thou shalt be saved. There's not one drop
of faith in us that could allow us to believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ. We cannot believe on Christ, but we will believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ. We will. Our Lord said, if you know the
truth, the truth shall make you free. We can't know the truth. The truth is a person. No man
can know the son except he be revealed. God reveals him. No
man can know his word. These things are spiritual. We
are carnal. No man can know the truth, but
we will know the truth. God's people will be taught from
him. We will come out from among them. We will gather with God's saints. We will know whom we have believed
and we will be persuaded that he is able to do it all. With
his grace will come his work. Now the moment. This is the last
thing I'll say about it. This is a great error. This is
a great great error. The moment that we start to look
to his work as it being our own. And we start to become lifted
up with pride because, well, I see this in myself. That's
when we air. And the moment that we start
to look to the works for our assurance of being saved, that's
the moment we err, because now we've taken our eyes off His
blood alone. It's the blood alone that justifies,
that work will believe, it's the blood alone. As soon as we
start to look to our faith, as soon as we start to look to our
coming out from among them, as soon as we start to look to all
these things, we've taken our eyes off the blood. That's the
moment we err. Now, I'll just finish with this. This is a story I'd say everybody
here has probably heard it, been told for decades. Rolf Barnard. I had to preach a meeting one
weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and before the service, Friday
night, he was invited, a lady in the congregation who was a
faithful member, invited him over for dinner. And he went
to her house, her and her husband, and Ralph Barnard. Her husband
did not attend the church. He was not a believer. He had
no interest in the gospel. He owned a bar. called it a tavern. And so they're
sitting there eating and having their awkward conversation. And
the husband just goes ahead and tells Rolf, he said, I just want
you to know I'm not coming to hear you preach. And he just
kept on eating. And he said, why is that? He
said, it's because every time one of you preachers comes through
town. You tell me that I can't be saved unless I sell my tavern. And I'm not selling my tavern.
Rolf kept on eating. He said. You don't have to sell
your tavern. He said, I don't. Said no. He said, well, I'll come here,
you preach then. So he went all weekend and heard him preach,
started attending the church, and as time went on, God saved
him. And what did he do? Everybody
can answer. He sold the tavern. Now, our
Lord was a wine drinker. There's nothing wrong with that
place serving alcohol. Nothing wrong with that at all.
Here's the problem. That was a lewd place. That was
a filthy, brawling, drunken, that's a bad atmosphere. That's
a bad place for him to be. And he wanted to come out from
among them. He wanted to gather with God's saints. He wanted
a heart that just worship Christ and all those kinds of things.
But him selling the tavern was not the cause. It was the result. And that's a that's a good illustration
of this, but the point is is no matter what we do. God will
do it. God will do it and he will do
whatever he has purposed for us. We will do it. You tell you
talk about faith, you know, you better believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ. And people will say, well, now you're you're preaching
works. Now you're making a work out of this. No. It's just a
fact. If that baby is born and that
baby is alive, that baby will eat. That baby will drink. It's going to happen. And that's
how it is with all of these other things. God's people will believe.
God's people will bow. They will come to Christ, but
he's the doer of it. He's the one who gets the glory.
All right, you're dismissed.