Proving Your Own Work

Q: What does the Bible say about examining oneself?

The Bible encourages believers to examine their own work and faith, as found in Galatians 6:4-5 and 2 Corinthians 13:5. In Galatians 6:4-5, the apostle Paul instructs believers to prove their own work, which means to test and examine one's faith and assurance of salvation. This self-examination is essential in understanding whether one truly believes the gospel and is secure in their faith. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul urges believers to examine themselves to see whether they are in the faith, emphasizing that self-assurance should not come from personal achievements but from a faith founded on Christ's work. A proper examination leads us to recognize that our confidence before God rests solely on His grace and not our own merits.

Q: How do we know the doctrine of grace alone is true?

The doctrine of grace alone is affirmed in Ephesians 2:8-9, which states salvation is a gift from God, not based on our works. The doctrine of grace alone teaches that salvation is entirely a gift from God, not contingent upon human effort or decision. Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly articulates this, stating, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.' This highlights that if salvation were based on our works or decisions, we could boast about our contributions. Instead, the biblical emphasis on grace alone directs our attention to God's sovereign choice and work in the lives of believers. It underscores that salvation is an act of God's unmerited favor, reinforcing the classic Reformed belief in God's sovereignty.

Q: Why is Christ alone essential for salvation?

Christ alone is essential for salvation because He is the only means by which we are justified before God, as highlighted in Romans 5:1. The doctrine of Christ alone asserts that Jesus Christ is the sole mediator between God and man, affirmed by His atoning work on the cross. Romans 5:1 states, 'Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' This demonstrates that our justification—being declared righteous before God—comes exclusively through faith in Christ's sacrifice, not through any of our own actions. The Reformed perspective emphasizes that Christ's life, death, and resurrection are the central focus of the gospel. All other beliefs that incorporate additional means to gain favor with God detract from the sufficiency of Christ's work. In Christ alone do we find full redemption and assurance of salvation.

Q: What is the significance of faith alone in salvation?

Faith alone is significant because it anchors our salvation in belief in Christ's work, not in our personal works or achievements. The doctrine of faith alone signifies that our salvation is received through faith, independent of our works. This is highlighted in Romans 4:5, where Paul writes, 'But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.' This portrays the clear distinction between trusting in Christ's righteousness versus relying on our own efforts. In Reformed theology, faith is viewed as the means by which we access the grace of God and is distinguished from any form of meritorious works. This assurance rests not in our faithfulness, but in the faithfulness of Christ, demonstrating that the core of our salvation is our relationship to Him.

Q: Why does God receive all the glory in salvation?

God receives all the glory in salvation because it is His work alone that brings about our redemption, as emphasized in Romans 11:36. The principle of the glory of God alone is crucial to understanding the nature of salvation. Romans 11:36 illustrates this, stating, 'For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.' This underscores that every aspect of salvation, from election to redemption, is orchestrated and fulfilled by God alone. The Reformed faith asserts that if any part of our salvation depended on human effort, then humans could claim a share of the glory. However, because our salvation is solely based on God's grace and purposes, all glory is due to Him. Recognizing God's sovereignty in salvation allows believers to boast in His works rather than their own.

more. Todd's Road Grace Church would like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd Nyberg. We are located at 4137 Todd's Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at 9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services. For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Now here's our pastor, Todd Nybert. In Galatians chapter six, verse four, the apostle Paul makes this statement, but let every man prove his own work. And then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another.

Now the word prove means to test. to scrutinize, to examine. As a matter of fact, more often than not, it's quoted, examine. Let a man examine his own work, his own profession. Put yourself to the test. Am I really someone that God has saved? Now, I hope I'll ask myself that question, and I hope you'll ask yourself that question. Let every man prove his own work. Paul said something similar in Philippians chapter two, verses 12 and 13. He says, to work out your own salvation with fear and with trembling. For it's God that worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure. Prove your own selves.

See if you are real. Now, if God said, and I want to say this reverently, but if God said to you, why should I let you into heaven? How would you answer? Would your answer begin with an I? Well, I believed, I repented, I changed, I have a different life, I've done what I should. Would your answer begin with an I? My dear friend, if it would, you won't be there. That's no understanding of the gospel. The only way I'll be in heaven is because of what God has done for me without reference to anything that I have done.

Let every man prove, put to test, his own work. Now let me show you some ways this scripture is used. In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul says, let a man examine himself, and so let he meet. And this was with regard to the Lord's table. Examine yourself, and so let he meet. Does that mean you too are examined whether you're worthy to take the Lord's table?

I've known of churches who use the Lord's Table as a means of discipline. If you're not living right, you're not allowed to take the Lord's Table. That is an abomination. That is a complete denial of what the Lord's Table means anyway. By taking the Lord's Table, you're saying, I am not worthy, and my only worthiness is that death, the resurrection, the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and into celebration.

And Paul still says, let a man examine himself, and so let him eat. Now, why did he say this? Well, in the context, he says, if you eat and drink unworthily, you do so to condemnation because you're not discerning the Lord's body. Now, with regard to the Lord's table, You examine yourself if you discern that all of your salvation is found in the Lord's body. It's what He did in His body.

That's the only way you'll be saved. Now, there's another scripture, 2 Corinthians 13, verse 5. Let a man examine himself. whether you be in the faith. Now, he doesn't say examine yourself and look how good you are or how much you've changed or try to take stock of your life and see if you've changed enough and if you're good enough and spiritual enough to consider yourself a Christian. As a matter of fact, if you look at your own life and your own conduct, your own character, as important as those things are, I'm not diminishing the importance of those. But if you look at how you conduct yourself and say, yep, I must be a Christian, you're not one. You're not looking to Christ.

You're looking to your own works. He says, let a man examine himself whether he be in the faith. Here's the issue. Do you believe the gospel? Not examine yourself how holy you are or how good you are or how much you read the Bible and pray and witness. Are you in the faith? Do you believe the gospel?

Now, this is such an important thing for you and I to do, and I'm calling upon myself to do it. I'm calling on you to do it. Scrutinize yourself. Put yourself to the test. Am I really a believer? Now, the only way I can put myself to the test truly is by looking at what the scriptures say. Now let's begin here. The Bible is God's infallible word. It's the only rule of faith and practice. This is not church creeds and church denominations and so on. What does God's word have to say? I put my test to the word of God, what God's word actually says.

Now, Maybe you've heard of these five solas before, but this is said to be the five solas of the Protestant Reformation, and this is how we will put ourselves to the test. And let me say, these are not the five solas of the Protestant Reformation. They're actually eternal truths. These were long, long before the Protestant Reformation came.

The five solas scriptures alone, not scriptures and scriptures alone. The second is Christ alone, not Christ and Christ alone. And the third solo is grace alone, not grace and grace alone. The fourth sola is faith alone, not faith and, faith alone. And the fifth sola is the glory of God alone, not the glory of God and, the glory of God alone. And you and I can test the reality of God's work in us, whether we really have been saved by the grace of God by these five solas, the scriptures alone. That's the only place I'm going to find the answer, the scriptures alone.

Now, I Introduce this message asking this question, what would you say to God if he said, why should I let you into heaven? Well, let me say this, talking to you, I do have a hope to be in heaven. There is a heaven, there is a hell. Don't kid yourself. God rewards the righteous. He punishes the wicked. There is a place of indescribable bliss called heaven. There is a place of indescribable torment called hell.

And I don't want to use hell to scare people. I can't stand to listen to a hellfire brimstone preacher trying to scare people into the kingdom of heaven. The fear of hell never brought anybody to Christ. But I don't want to take away from the reality of this There is a place called heaven. There's no sin there. And there is a place called hell, the punishment of the wicked.

And I have a hope of being in heaven and being accepted on judgment day. Now, a lot of people have that hope. They will find out that they weren't accepted. The Lord said, on that day, many shall say unto me, Lord, Lord, Have we not preached in your name? In your name, have we not cast out demons in your name? Have we not done many wonderful works? The quantity, many, the quality, wonderful works. And then shall I profess to them. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. I never knew you. Oh, he knew who they were, but they weren't his. And he exposes them at this time. Now, I don't want that to happen to me. I don't want that to happen to you.

How can I test myself? Well, the first test is the scriptures alone. Is my hope a hope that the scriptures verify? If I can't look to the scriptures and give you the reason why I have this hope, my hope's no good. Now, why do I have a hope that I'll be in heaven?

Because Jesus Christ saved me. You didn't hear I in that, did you? Because Jesus Christ saved me. You see, He justified me by His great work on Calvary Street. To be justified is to be without guilt. It's to be without sin. It's to stand before God perfect. Now, can I support that from the scriptures? That is the question.

To him that worketh not, but believeth on him, that justifies the ungodly. His faith is counted for righteousness. God's made the way to be just and justify the ungodly. And I can point to the scriptures to tell you why I have a hope of heaven. It's because Christ justified me. He was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification, therefore being justified. standing before God without guilt, without sin. Listen, I have boldness toward the day of judgment. It's not because I'm proud of the way I've lived or because of my preaching. My boldness is in Christ.

I can point you to the scriptures and give you the reason for my hope. Remember when Peter said, always be ready to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason for the hope that's in you. Well, I've got a reason and it's found in the scriptures, what Christ did for me.

Now, if I look to the scriptures only. The scriptures alone, not what my church states it believes, not what religion says, just to the scriptures. I wish I could emphasize this. The Bible is God's infallible word. It doesn't matter what I think. It doesn't matter what you think. What does God's word say?

Now, where will the scriptures bring us. If I look to the scriptures alone, I'll believe Christ alone, not Christ and not Christ and my experience, not Christ and my, uh, works and efforts, not Christ and my changed life, Christ alone. Now, what is meant by that? Not Christ and, but Christ alone. Well, do I see that Christ alone is the only message of Scripture? It's not a rule book. It's not a how-to book. Christ alone is the only message of Scripture.

The Lord said, you search the scriptures. In them, you think you have eternal life. If I can figure out how to obey these rules, I'll have eternal life. He said, but they are they which testify of me. Every single one of them. All the Old Testament speaks of him. Now he's got to give you eyes to see that.

But this book has one subject, Christ alone. He's the only message of scriptures. Now, when I speak of Christ alone, you know what that means? That means his life. is my life before God, his life alone. His righteousness is my only righteousness, his righteousness, not mine, his. His shed blood is my only sin payment.

I don't pay anything. He paid it all. Jesus paid it all, all the debt I owe. Oh, it doesn't say Jesus paid a half the other half I owe. Jesus paid it all, all the debt I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow. His death is my complete sufficient sin payment. Oh, I love his words, it is finished. The debt has been paid. His resurrection is my justification. He was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification. He justified me. That's why He came, to justify sinners. He justified me, that's why I'm gonna be in heaven, Christ alone. It's only Him preserving me that I'm preserved. I don't keep myself. How secure am I? How secure is He? That's how secure I am. Christ alone is everything in salvation. Christ alone is the only subject of preaching. If preaching is with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul said, In 1 Corinthians 2.1, I've determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Every message that does not have Christ crucified as its foundation and what it's leading to is a wrong message. Christ alone is the only object of our faith. It's not Christ and my works, Christ and my experience, Christ alone.

Christ alone is the only ground of our assurance. What gives you assurance? He said, it is finished. That's what gives me assurance. Christ alone is the only reason for forgiveness. Ephesians 4.32 says, be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. Now, if I'm real, I'm gonna look to the scriptures alone. for my hope to find out if it's real. And if I look to the scriptures alone, I'm going to be driven to this Christ alone. He's everything in my salvation.

Paul put it this way in Colossians 3.11, Christ is all.

He said in Colossians 2.10, you're complete in him. Where's your completion? In him. Now here's the third statement I'd like to make.

Is my salvation by grace alone? Am I salvation? Is it by grace alone? Now, my free will has anything to do with, and that's what most people believe. Well, I made a decision to accept Jesus as my personal savior and I'm now saved because of that decision I made. And it's not grace alone. That's not grace alone. As a matter of fact, you're making salvation totally dependent upon your decision, an act of your will. That's not grace alone.

If I believe that I can become more holy, and less sinful by my personal self-denial and reading the scriptures more and praying more and fasting and just giving myself to it, all of a sudden I'll become more holy and less sinful through my personal efforts. If I believe that, I don't believe grace alone. I still believe works.

If I believe that on judgment day, people will be rewarded according to their works. There are some people who are going to kind of live in the basement of heaven because they haven't been so good. And the real good ones will have 50,000 crowns and they'll be way up there and in some kind of higher reward. If I believe that, if I believe there are rewards in heaven, according to your works on earth, I believe works.

I don't believe in grace alone. The scripture teaches grace alone. Now here is my hope that salvation really is all of grace. By grace are you saved, through faith. And that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Grace alone.

Let me tell you why I'll be saved. God elected me before time began by His grace. He didn't choose me because He saw I'd be a good person. He didn't choose me because He saw I'd choose Him. He did it freely as an act of His glorious grace. I was redeemed by His grace. My works didn't have anything to do with it. I was justified by His grace, not by my works. Salvation is of the Lord. It's by His grace. Somebody says, do you believe once saved, always saved? It depends on who saved you. If you saved yourself, no, I don't believe that, you'll fall away. But if he saved you, oh, saved you by his grace, your salvation is as secure as he himself is. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. My salvation is altogether a work of His grace.

My works do not enter in. Listen to this scripture, Romans 9, 11, for the children. Talking about Jacob and Esau, two twins. Had the same mom, had the same dad. For the children, being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works. but of him that calleth. It was said unto her of the elders shall serve the younger as it's written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

In Romans chapter 11, Paul was talking about the election of grace. And he says, even so then at this present time, there's a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, if elections by grace, then it's no more of works. Otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it's no more grace. Otherwise, work is no more work. It's either all of grace or all of works. There's no in between.

Now, I want you to put yourself to the test. In your salvation, do your works have anything to do with it? Or is it all of His grace? Everyone who's saved understands it's all of His grace. grace. Now the fourth test is faith alone. Scriptures alone, Christ alone, grace alone, and faith alone.

The Lord said to those people in John chapter 6 when they said, what must we do that we might work the works of God? He said, this is the work of God. that you believe on him whom he hath sent." You know the Father sent the Son. He said, I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He's the sent one of God. And I believe God, his father sent him and whatever it was he came to do, he did. And I trust only him.

Now the scripture says to him that worketh. the Lord not reckoned of grace but of debt, but to him that worketh not." Would that describe you? You understand that if salvation is dependent upon you in any way, to any measure, to any degree, you will not be saved. Do you understand that?

To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly. You know you're ungodly and you know your only hope of being saved is him justifying you. To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. The just shall live by faith. They don't live by their works. They live by faith. Now here is a, an example of this. It's the Lord talking about the straight gate in the narrow way.

Now remember faith only. If you have faith only, you look to Christ only. You don't look for Christ and you don't look to Christ and your evidences and Christ and your experience and Christ and your feelings and Christ and your works. You look to Christ only.

The Lord said, wide is the gate, broad is the way that leads to destruction. Many take that route. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life and few there be that find it. Now this gate is so straight, so narrow, that if you have anything other than Christ alone, you can't get in.

Do you have anything other than Christ? Somebody once said, if all I have is Christ, is that enough? And a wise person said, he is if he's all you got. He is. If he's all you got, really, to the believer, he's all I have. And that way is so narrow that if you have anything other than Christ, you will fall off. The way is too narrow for you to have anything other than Christ alone.

Faith alone and by his grace I'm going to die looking to Christ alone. On my last breath I'm not going to be looking to my preaching or my soul winning or my study or my anything. I'm not going to be looking at my ability to to live a holier life through my works. I'm going to be looking to Christ alone. I continue looking to Christ alone. Now if you are someone who is real, somebody that God has done a work of grace for, you look to Christ alone and you will do so all the way to the end. And the last sola is the glory of God alone. Now I want to ask you a question.

In your salvation, does God get all the glory? Does he get all the credit? Did he do it all, or is there something you can glory in? I love what Paul said to the Corinthians, who makes you to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou hast not received? Now, if you received it, why do you glory as if you didn't receive it? In my salvation, God gets all the glory because He did it all. I can't give myself the credit for anything.

He chose me before time began. He came in the person of His Son to keep the law for me and put away my sins and be raised for my justification. He's in heaven right now praying for me, interceding for me, and that's why I won't fall away. He's going to raise me from the dead. He's going to make me perfectly conformed to His image.

In my salvation, God gets all the glory. I get none. And I love it that way, because if I did get any glory, that would mean that salvation was partly dependent upon me. And if that's the case, I don't have any hope. Oh, thank God, God gets all the glory in my salvation. Now, these things all go together. They stand or fall together. Scriptures alone. Christ alone. Grace alone. Faith alone. The glory of God alone. They all go together. If you leave one of them out, you've lost them all. They all go together.

Now, is this my hope? Is it found in the scriptures alone? Is Christ alone all my salvation? Is grace alone everything in my salvation? Is faith alone the only thing I know? Is the glory of God alone the very reason for my salvation? I'm going to be a trophy of His grace when I stand in heaven accepted in the beloved. I'm going to be the biggest example of just how much salvation is by grace. Let every man prove, put to test his own work. Scriptures alone Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone, the glory of God alone.

Proving Your Own Work

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about examining oneself?

How do we know the doctrine of grace alone is true?

Why is Christ alone essential for salvation?

What is the significance of faith alone in salvation?

Why does God receive all the glory in salvation?

Sermon Transcript

About Todd Nibert

Comments

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

Proving Your Own Work

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about examining oneself?

How do we know the doctrine of grace alone is true?

Why is Christ alone essential for salvation?

What is the significance of faith alone in salvation?

Why does God receive all the glory in salvation?

Sermon Transcript

About Todd Nibert

Comments

More from Todd Nibert

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Todd Nibert

Suggested for You

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book