In Jeremiah chapter 23, six,
in his days, Judah shall be saved. You don't need to turn there.
I'm just reading it. This is not my text. In his days, Judah should
be saved and Israel should dwell safely. And this is his name,
wherewith he shall be called the Lord, our righteousness. Jehovah Zedkinu. And in Jeremiah chapter 33, Verse
16, in those days should you to be saved, and Jerusalem shall
dwell safely, same thing. And here's the reason. And this
is the name wherewith she shall be called. Same name. The Lord, our righteousness. And while that song was being
sung, what hit me is that's my hope. I believe that, I understand
that. And what a blessing of grace that is to anyone who knows
something about Jehovah Sikindu, the Lord, our righteousness. Titus chapter three. This is
a faithful saying in these things I will that thou affirm constantly.
Verse eight. that or in order that they, which
have believed in God might be careful, thoughtful. This is something that's on their
heart, on their mind. They're anxious about it. The
same word is translated anxious, careful about good works, careful
to maintain good works. If I told you that the Bible
says you need to be careful to maintain good works, one of two
things would take place. Number one, you'd agree. I do
need to be careful to maintain good works. And you'd also be
stressed trying to figure out what you need to do or stop doing
to obtain that end. And you would feel totally inadequate
and you would feel like a failure. The other thought that somebody
may have is, well, I feel like I've managed to be careful to
maintain good works and that person will have done so in the
wrong spirit and become sanctimonious and look down at their brethren
who have not reached the height of their attainments. If that's
what I said, you need to be Careful. I need to be careful to maintain
good works. You know what else I would have
done? I would have pulled a part of
a verse out of a full verse and failed to give you the meaning
and put you under the law. If that's all I said. need to be careful to maintain
good works. Now look what the text says in
verse eight. This is a faithful saying. We
considered the four sayings of Paul last week. We're just going
to consider this one tonight. This is a faithful saying, and
these things I will that thou affirm constantly. repetitively, all the time, non-stop. These things should be preached
every time you preach. You know, this is really a summary
of the message. These things I will that thou affirm constantly
that or in order that they which have believed in God might be
careful to maintain good works. Now, the only way those who believe
are careful to maintain good works is if what Paul said is
affirmed constantly. Good works, beautiful, excellent,
honorable, praise worthy, noble, better. Those are all ways this
word is Translated, when the Lord said of Mary, she hath wrought
a good work upon me. All of those words could be used. She hath wrought a beautiful
work on me. She hath wrought an excellent
work on me. She hath wrought an honorable
work on me. She hath wrought a noble work
on me. She hath wrought a praiseworthy
work on me, she hath wrought a better work on me. Good works. Earlier in this epistle
in Titus chapter two, verse seven, he said to the young men in all
things, showing thyself a pattern of good works. Look what he says
in verse 14 of the same chapter, who gave himself for us that
he might redeem us. from all iniquity and purify
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. The Lord said toward the beginning
of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 16, let your light so shine
before men that they may see your good works and glorify your
Father, which is in heaven. Now, if you perform your good
works in such a way as you're glorified, it wasn't good. So that your father in heaven
is glorified. 2 Corinthians 8, 21, providing
honest. That's good things. That's the
word. Good things, providing good things, not only in the
sight of the Lord, but in the sight of men. Ephesians 2, eight
through 10, 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, for we are his workmanship created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, excellent works, praiseworthy works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Paul said in Galatians 4, verse
11, it's good always to be zealously affected in a good thing, a good
work. Galatians 6, 9, and this is repeated
in 1 Thessalonians or 2 Thessalonians 3, be not weary in well doing. Don't become weary. in well doing. 1 Thessalonians 5, 20 and 21,
Paul said, despise not prophesying. What's going on right now? Preaching. Prove all things. Test it to
see if it's what God's word actually teaches. Prove all things. Hold fast to that which is good and abstain from all appearance
of evil. If it appears evil when you're
hearing it, abstain from it. No, it's not right. When Paul
is exhorting us to pray for our leaders, he says, this is good
and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior. Good, good things, good works.
First Timothy chapter five, verse 11, when he's talking about the
widows that are to be supported by the church over 60 years of
age, because they can't support themselves. He says, make sure
that they are well reported of for good works. Paul said to Timothy, fight the
good fight of faith. There is a good fight. Charge them that are rich in
this world, that they be rich in good works. Ready to distribute,
willing to communicate. I love this scripture in Hebrews
chapter 10, verse 24. We're called upon to provoke
one another to love, not to irritation, to love and to good works. We see the emphasis of this in
the scripture. Look down in our text in Titus
chapter three, verse 14, and let ours also learn to maintain
good work for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
Now, what that's talking about is your employment, your job.
Let ours learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, where
you can support your family, where you can support the gospel,
do well at it. He calls our jobs, a good work
that they be not unfruitful. Be careful, be thoughtful to
maintain good works. This is the good tree bringing
forth good fruit. Now the desire of every believer
without exception is to glorify God by good works. Every believer in here wants
to glorify God by good works. This is not a matter of secondary
importance. We're not dismissive of this in any way. It's very
important. We're to be careful in our thought,
in our thinking, in our desire, in who we are. We're to be careful,
thoughtful to maintain good works. But I repeat, if my message to
you is you need to be careful to maintain good works. That's what believers do. If
you're not careful to maintain good works, it's evidence that
you're not a believer. All I've done is put you under
law, and I failed to give the scriptural teaching with regard
to how to be careful to maintain good works. Paul says, these things, in verse
eight, these things I will, this faithful saying, I love the faithful sayings of
Paul. These things, this faithful saying, I will that thou affirm
constantly. Every time you preach, this better
be the subject. It must have something to do
with what It said in this faithful saying, if it's not, it's no
good. It's not gospel. This must be preached every message
and any message where this is not preached, the gospel is not
preached, and nobody will be careful to maintain good works.
They'll just make a mess of it. It's all they'll do. This is
a faithful saying, these things I will that thou affirm constantly
that in order that they which have believed in God might be
careful. to maintain good works, these
things are good and profitable unto men. Now, what is the faithful
saying he's referring to? Well, I could say the whole book
of Titus. I wouldn't be wrong, would I?
If I said the whole book of Titus, everything he said up to that
point, but he is specifically referring to what is said in
verses three through seven of Titus chapter three. Now, for we ourselves, verse
three, also were sometimes before time, before the Lord saved us. Now, remember this is Paul speaking,
and he's the one who said with regard to his life, touching
the righteousness, which is in the law is blameless. This is
the one who said, if anybody thinks he's got something to
boast in, I got more than you do. look at his own testimony
regarding his life before God saved him. For we ourselves were
sometimes foolish. The old man that doesn't trust
Christ is a fool. He's foolish. He has no wisdom. Disobedient, unpersuadable. is what the word means. You won't
be persuaded. Obstinate. Deceived. You thought what you believed
was true, but you didn't know you were deceived. Deceived. Oh, to be self-deceived. And that's what he's talking
about. Deceived. Serving, being a slave to diverse
lusts and pleasures." And this is Paul that was so high on himself,
he said, here's what I am in reality, this is the truth with
regard to me, a slave to lusts and pleasures, living in malice
and envy. That would describe even that
nice person's life. That's such a nice person. This
is what God sees. Malice and envy, that base emotion
of thinking what somebody else has to have, you wish them ill
and you wish you had it and you think you deserve it. Hateful. Full of hate. Hatred to God,
deserving the hatred of God and hating one another. Now, do I have to bring that
out? Yes. Should it always be brought out?
Yes. This is part of that faithful
saying, and if this is not brought out, no one will be careful to
maintain good works. But verse four, this is the but
of grace. But after that, the kindness
and the love. of God our Savior. Isn't that
a precious name? God our Savior. Jesus Christ
our Savior is God our Savior. God the Father is God our Savior. God the Holy Spirit is God our
Savior. He's God our Savior. And what kindness, what love. The word is actually philanthropy.
That's where we get this word from. Philanthropy toward man
appeared. And here's how it appeared in
verse five. Not by works of righteousness,
which we have done. Now, somebody says, I've already
got that down pat. I already know that. Do you? Do you? You don't have it down pat enough,
nor do I. by works of righteousness which we have done. If some work of righteousness
I performed saved me, then salvation is by works and not by grace. If any of my salvation is dependent
upon something I must first do before God can do something for
me, that's God responding to what I did. and not to what his
son did. That is salvation by works. Not by works of righteousness,
which we've done. That covers it. You know, when
you talk about works, let's get, let's get down to the bottom
line of it. Anything that you do begins with your will, your
quote free will. All you got to do is believe
in free will and you believe in salvation by works. There's no question about that.
Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according
to his mercy, he saved us. Can you hear that too much? Does that ever get old? By His mercy, He saved us. I love what Paul said in 2 Timothy
1, 9, where he says, He saved us and He called us. Notice the
order. He didn't say He called us and
He saved us. He didn't call us and see how we'd respond and
then our salvation would be dependent on our response. No, He saved
us. That's plum saved. And after that, he called us
with a 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. Salvation is of the Lord. He
saved us. And look how he saved us. He
enumerates this, and this is to be in all of our preaching.
Nobody's going to be careful to maintain good works without
this. He saved us. Oh, may the Lord plant that,
emblazon that in my heart to where it makes me joyous. And
he saved, I'm saved. I'm not almost saved. I'm plum
saved. He saved us. How? By the washing of regeneration. and the renewing of the Holy
Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior,
by the washing of regeneration." Now, what that means is being
birthed. Being birthed. Being born again. The new birth, the new man, the
new heart, the new creature. The new man that was not there
before is placed in that man described in verse three. It's
not God working on that man described in verse three and improving
him, it's putting somebody altogether new in him. That's what regeneration is all
about. And the way regeneration is maintained is through the
continual renewal of the Holy Ghost. You know why you continue
to believe? Because of the continual renewal of the Holy Ghost. And
here's why he did this. He shed it on you abundantly
through the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why you have it. Not because
of anything you did. He didn't give you God, the Holy
Spirit. He didn't give you this new man
because of anything you did. He gave it to you because of
what Christ accomplished in your behalf. And that's why you have
it. Come thou fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy praise. Streams of mercy never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise. You know, I think of what Paul
said to the Galatians. Having begun in the spirit, are
you made perfect by the flesh? No, no. Oh, He shed on us this regeneration,
this new birth, this putting something there that was not
there before. And it's continually renewed
by the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus
Christ, our Savior, that being justified by His grace, being. Justified. This is not something you can,
you want to be justified or condemned? It's up to you, take your choice.
Now, God justified you. When Jesus Christ was raised
from the dead, he was delivered for our offenses, raised again
for our justification. You were justified. You know
what that means? That means you stand before God
having never sinned. Really? Really. Perfect before God's holy law. Accepted in the beloved. Perfect in Christ Jesus. That's
what justification is. I stand before God as one who
has never sinned. Now somebody says, how can that
be when I have sinned? Jesus Christ took my sins in
his own body on the tree and he put them away. They became
his. He became guilty of the commission
of them. The justice of God was poured
out in wrath upon him. That's why I cried, my God, my
God, why is that forsaken me? That's what God does to sin.
he did something no one else could do, he put that sin away
so that it is no more. And we have Jehovah Tsidkenu,
the Lord our righteousness. That's what justification is,
the Lord our righteousness. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect This is an act of God's free and sovereign
grace. It's God that justifies, justified
by his grace. Verse seven, we should be made
heirs. Now, whatever Christ has come unto
him, he's the heir, he's the heir. Whatever Christ has coming
to him, every believer has coming to them. We're joint heirs with
Christ. I want you to think of the riches
of grace that you're heir to. I wish I could talk about what
heaven's going to be like. It'd be an exercise in futility
with me. I'd love to be able to talk about
it. Can you even imagine right now what it would be to be without
sin, to have nothing but pure motives and pure thoughts and
perfect conformity to his image? But that's what we're here to.
As he is, so are we in this world. That being justified by his grace,
we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Now, the hope, the hope. Now, here's my hope. My hope
is that when I stand before God in judgment, I'm gonna have that
eternal life, that life that never had a beginning, that life
that'll never have an ending, the eternal life of Jesus Christ,
my righteousness. That's my hope. Now, I can't
see it right now. I'm hoping for it. And the evidence that
I have it is faith. I believe the gospel. That hope
is that eternal life. Oh, the life of the Lord Jesus
Christ being my life before God. Now, verse eight, this is a faithful saying, that's
pretty long saying. Galatians verses three through
seven, the whole gospel is in that statement. And it's a long
saying, but it's still a faithful saying. Just like Paul's faithful
saying in 1 Timothy 1.15, this is a faithful saying. Worthy
of all acceptation, the Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners of whom I am the chief. I love to think of that
being a saying in the early church. They'd go ahead, they were always
repeating it. They'd look to each other and they'd remind
each other of that verse and oh, what glory there is. Well, this is a faithful saying. Something that must be preached
in every message. Now that doesn't mean you're
just going to be like a grinding out, like a grinder, the same
words. You have the whole Bible to preach
this same message. This is a faithful saying, and
these things, what things? Well, what we were before God
saved us. But after that, what God did
for us, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according
to his mercy, he saved us. By the washing of regeneration,
that new birth continually renewed by the Holy Ghost, that's why
it continues, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ,
our Savior. That's why we have it. Be kind,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you that being justified by His grace we should
be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is
a faithful saying. And these things I will that
thou affirm constantly. I love that language, that gives
us some direction doesn't it? These things I will that you
affirm constantly. Preach this every time you preach. And what happens as a result
of the constant affirmation of these things? Well, he tells
us, you do this, so that. Here's the end of this. Those
who believed in God will be careful to maintain good works. That's the only way it happens.
I can threaten you, scare you. You need to be careful about
good works. It's not gonna do you any good. If I do not preach these things continually,
you will and I will not be careful to maintain good works. I don't
know what it is we'll do, but we will not be careful to maintain
good works. As a matter of fact, we'll not
be careful to maintain good works at all. And we'll turn it into
something that it's not. We'll make it a work. But the
preaching of free grace is the only thing that causes people
to be careful to maintain good works. When I think of this,
I think, oh, I want to glorify the Lord in my life with good
works. I want other people to see it. So they'll say, that's
what the gospel that God believes does. And it makes people like
that. I want to be careful to maintain good works. good works out of gratefulness
to him and encouragement to his people, so that the world will
see that this is what the grace of God does. And this is all
that will produce this. If I preach good works, there
will be none. If I preach free grace, all of
God's people will be careful. to maintain good works. And I hope this has encouraged
us and made us all zealous of good works. Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for the
gospel, the gospel that And it's repeated
affirmation by your spirit causes your people to be careful to
maintain good works. Lord, deliver us from the attitudes
we can so easily fall into. Lord, we're so self-righteous
by nature. We'll make a work out of anything.
And we ask that you would hedge us about and cause us in response
to your grace, be a people careful to maintain good works. In Christ's
name we pray, amen.