Many who practice faith understand that their walk should include works. What does it mean to do "works"? Does it mean to feed the hungry and clothe the poor? These things should certainly flow out of our character and compassion. But Jesus was speaking about specific works that He was doing. These works were directly given Him to do by His Father in heaven.
"But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish- the very works that I do- bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me."
John 5:36
"Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son does in like manner."
John 5:19
Jesus makes it clear that all that He does, are the same as the Father does. There are no works of His own, no deeds that He decides to do because it seems the correct thing to do. He only does the works that He sees His Father doing. It has very little to do with doing "good deeds". All the works are designed and purposed to set men free from bondages of different types, whether sickness, sin, demon attacks.
Jesus even says that these works that He does, identify Him as having been sent from the Father, because they are the Father's works.
One example that shows the uniqueness of these works is found in John chapters 8 and 9.
Jesus has been trying to teach a crowd about who He is. They are a crowd who has worshipped God all of their lives. They have read the scriptures, and studied them. They have believed and accepted the interactions that God has had with their nation and their fathers. They believe themselves to be people of God, a covenant people. Jesus shockingly informs them that they are not a people of God. He says that they do not know God:
"He who is of God hears God's words, therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God." John 8:47
Imagine how shocked these people are to hear Jesus claim that they do not know God, and do not belong to Him. How was Jesus so sure that these people were no of God? Because they did not know Him, Jesus.
"...If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me." John 8:42
After Jesus made these pronouncements, the people took up stones to stone Him to death. They hated His words, and denied their truth. He supernaturally walked right through the midst of them unharmed.
Shortly after passing through them, Jesus came upon a man who had been blind since birth. He fashioned clay from the ground, mixed with His saliva, and placed the mixture on the eyes of the blind man. He instructed the blind man to rinse his eyes in the pool of Siloam. "Siloam" means to send, in Hebrew. The root meaning of the word is to let go, to set free, to let loose.
Upon washing in this pool, the blind man could now see.
Jesus said of His actions:
I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work." John 9:4
So let us think about this occasion that Jesus used to do the work of His Father.
First, it was a work done immediately after a crowd tried to stone Jesus to death. Any other person might have sought to avoid people after that, at least he would have felt some resentment afterwards. But Jesus immediately saw that the Father had a work for Him to do in the blind man, and Jesus was obedient to do it. This is what the Father sent Him to do. It didn't matter what the circumstances might be, nor what Jesus' thoughts and emotions might be after dealing with the hostile crowd.
Secondly, the work the Father had for Jesus to do at this moment was a work of deliverance, according to the meaning of the word "Siloam". It was the Father's desire to liberate this man from blindness.
Not only did Jesus determine to do the works that His Father gave Him to do, but He expected all those who believe in Him to do so also:
"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."
John 14:10-12
Not only are we also to do these works of the Father, but even greater works than Jesus did.
The crowd we read about earlier claimed that Abraham was their father. Jesus disagreed. He told them,
"If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham." John 8:39
What works of Abraham was Jesus talking about? We know Abraham acted out of belief or faith in the Father. He was obedient to do what God told him to do. But there is also a specific act that Abraham was involved in that, I think, Jesus was teaching about.
James 2:21-22 says:
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?"
Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?"
The works that Abraham did by faith was a specific kind of works. It was a works that the Father in heaven was doing. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son of covenant. The Father's plan and will was to sacrifice His only begotten Son also. The Father's works are sacrificial. He is willing to pay with His blood for the liberation of men. The sacrifice can only be done out of the faith of knowing that God has purposed it. God has said it. God, Himself, is doing it.
As we consider these greater works of the Father that Jesus said we would do, we need to understand the depth of the sacrificial heart of the Father that lies at the center of each work. It is not about doing good deeds. It is not about religious activities and charitable works. It is about the supernatural works of deliverance that can only pour out of us through a sacrificial heart like the Father's and the Son's. We cannot separate the works, from the Father who sent us.
Our Father is works.
"I Give Myself Away"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha3JbND1Sqg
As I write about this topic, I must say that it is not with a clear understanding. I know that there are many more people out there who would know more about it than myself. There are clergy and those who have studied the Word for years, and prayed and walked in the wisdom of God, who could be clearer in thought on this subject. But more and more, I have a feeling in my gut that I have to try and puzzle out. Perhaps a year from now, or two, or three, or more, I will have a different understanding of this issue. The issue I am struggling with is the issue of righteousness. We believe we know what this word means. In Hebrew, the word righteous or righteousness means "to do or bring justice, to have a just cause, to be just, lawful, correct". I find this definition different from the one I had in my own mind. I had viewed righteousness as being in a condition without sin. I think this is the view of most people. But considering the Hebrew meaning, righteousness pertains to actions or works that reveal justice. A form of behavior that reflects "rightness".
There is an interesting story of justice in John 8. The religious people of the society bring a woman before Jesus. She has been caught in the very act of adultery. The Law of Moses says that such a person should be put to death (Lev. 20:10). The act of adultery is certainly forbidden by the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:14). The crowd of religious leaders asks Jesus "But what do You say?". They were testing Him, and looking for a reason to accuse Him of breaking the commandments. But Jesus didn't answer them. In fact, never did He answer them directly in any way. He stooped down to the ground, and began to write in the dirt with His finger, as if He hadn't heard their question. They asked Him again. Jesus stood and said "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." (John 8:7). Then He stooped down and began writing on the ground again. Everyone began, one by one, to walk away, convicted by their consciences. Only the adulterous woman was left standing there. Jesus asked the woman if there were any accusers left. She answered Him, "No one, Lord." Jesus answered her. "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." (Jn. 8:11).
We don't know what Jesus was writing in the dirt that day. There is speculation that He was writing in the dirt all of the sins or unrighteous acts of the religious leaders standing there that day. That they also were guilty of breaking the Law of Moses in one form or another.
The religious leaders in the story did not bring a false accusation. The woman did indeed commit adultery (although her partner in the crime seems to be missing from this event!), and the Law of Moses is clear on the punishment. So what does this mean? Is Jesus telling the leaders that they should ignore the Law of Moses? Well, the Law of Moses doesn't cleanse sin, it just makes us knowledgeable of sin. (Rom. 3:20). The
only remedy the Law of Moses could provide was a temporary one of animal
blood sacrifice, that was a type and shadow of the perfect, and all-time sacrifice
that would be provided in the future by God, Himself, in the form of His only begotten Son. So what was Jesus trying to demonstrate, or teach to this group?
There is a principle in our civil law called "clean hands". If you come to court, making an accusation against someone, you must come to court with "clean hands". In other words a drug dealer cannot sue someone saying the person did not pay him for the drugs that were sold. The drug dealer is breaking the law himself, and therefore, he does not have good standing to accuse the other person. He, himself, does not have "clean hands". The court will not hear his case. Perhaps we can say that Jesus was telling the religious leaders that they "did not come to court with clean hands". Their actions did not come forth out of a condition of righteousness.
So who does have "clean hands"?Of our own strength, none of us do! The scriptures say:
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 3:23
"As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one;"
Romans 3:10
"They have all turned aside,
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good, No, not one.
Psalms 14:3, Psalm 53:3
"For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not."
Eccl. 7:20
What about when we want to please God, and try to exercise control over our thoughts and behavior? Can't we be righteous then? We know right from wrong, and can choose to act righteously, can't we? The Prophet Isaiah says:
"But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away."
Isa. 64:6
It is not possible for us to be or act righteously by our own strength and determination alone.
We cannot buy righteousness, we cannot earn it, we cannot deserve it. We cannot follow a law to achieve it. Righteous words, thoughts and deeds, come from out of a re-created, a converted, spirit and soul. It is a flow that should come forth out of the Christ that we have asked to reside in us, the Holy Spirit that dwells in us to lead us into all the righteousness of our Father (Rom. 3:22):
"(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)".
Eph. 5:9
So often, we, the Church, think this means that we can look at all those around us for the purpose of identifying others' unrighteous acts. Now that we are righteous, we can speak of the unrighteousness of others. But this does not sit well in my soul. It is said that a person cannot repent unless they know they have sinned. So we need to bring that sin to their consciousness. But then, it seems to me that we are no more effective than the Law of Moses was, only giving a knowledge of sin, but not providing the remedy. We are telling people to free themselves of unrighteousness, but we do not tell them that their freedom is not found in the natural, but in the supernatural gift of Christ. I think sometimes we have made people aware, but we do it to accuse, not to remedy. How can we be so quick to point out the sins we see around us, without looking, first, at the sin and unrighteous acts within ourselves? When the world sees us genuinely dealing with, and repenting of our own unrighteousness, they will then be able to take seriously our message to them of repentance and cleansing through the righteousness of God, which is Jesus Christ.
Does this mean that the Church should never call sin what it is - harm, death, decay? Isn't that the truth? Shouldn't we stand for the truth without compromise? So what is the answer?
Inside me, the suggestion comes that if I am indeed a vessel of that free, merciful gift of righteousness through Jesus, shouldn't my life reflect that grace? Though my sin may be visible, regardless of my desire to live righteously, shouldn't there be a quality about my life that leads others to ask: "What is the source of that difference I can see in you? How can I have that also?"
If the only way I can bring the attention of others to the need for repentance is by pointing a finger at them, then haven't I failed in my walk with Christ? Shouldn't my life be an open book of the fruits of my own repentance? Shouldn't righteous thoughts, words and deeds flow out of my saved spiritual condition?
In Eph. 5, scripture tells us to be the same kind of light that Jesus was, and is. It tells us to walk as children of light (Eph. 5:8). This light that dwells in us shines onto works of darkness and exposes them, even unrighteousness covered and hiding in secret (Eph. 5:11-13).
In another place in scripture, Jesus said to the crowd who followed Him, who felt justified in righteousness based on the fact that they were descended from Abraham,
"Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father." For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones."
Luke 3:8
They thought they achieved righteousness by who their ancestor was. We are not born into the condition of righteousness. Righteousness is a way of life that mirrors the Father's words, and actions.
In the story of the woman who was caught in adultery, wouldn't Jesus have been speaking the truth to agree with the crowd, and convict the woman of adultery? Yet He didn't do that. He showed her, and the crowd, something completely different about the condition of righteousness, and then said to her "...go and sin no more."
We, on the other hand want to tell the world "go and sin no more", without showing them the "something different" that comes from the character and wisdom of God. Isn't it so, that the world has become weary of hearing us tell them how they do not walk in righteousness, when they see that we do not either? We call others to repentance, but where is our repentance for our own thoughts, words, and deeds? Don't we want the fruit that comes with repentance that Jesus told us to seek? Isn't it so hard to examine ourselves truthfully, see our personal faults and shortcomings, and ask for forgiveness for them? Yet, we want others to do this, without them even knowing or understanding Who our Father is, Who Jesus really is? Scripture instructs God's own people to humble themselves and repent (2 Chron. 7:14).
Even within the Church, we look at our brothers and sisters, and so easily discern their shortcomings. We point the finger at the other, and talk about their errors and mistakes, but fail to see our own. This is self-righteousness. We are back to thinking that we are righteous by our own goodness and strength, or by who our parents were, or because of what church we attend, or for other reasons of the flesh. It is not possible to be righteous by our own ability, as we saw in the scriptures above.
If we do not examine ourselves first, and do so continually, we are coming to court without "clean hands". If we insist on standing in our own righteousness, then the righteousness of God through Christ, can no longer do a work in us. We will have chosen to stand before God in our own strength, rather than in His strength, in our own righteousness, rather than His righteousness. This is not wisdom.
If I was standing in that circle of religious leaders accusing the woman of adultery, what sins of mine would Jesus be writing in the dirt? I hate to even think of it, but for the woman's sake, as well as my own, I need to take it very seriously. If I want to see her restored and saved, and myself walking in righteousness, I have no choice but to examine what Jesus is writing in the dirt about me.
Before we can even begin to hope to impact the world with calls for repentance and a demand for righteous behavior, we each need to read what Jesus is writing in the dirt about us. If we sincerely deal with these things before Him, then and only then, can we be effective in our call of repentance to the rest of the world. Then and only then, can the righteousness of our Father become a part of our lives. Then our words will ring true and shine with Light, and reveal the works of darkness. Yes, the world seems full of sin, but the Word says, "Where sin abounds, grace does more abound". The power of the birth of Christ lies in the fact that God has good will toward men, and declares peace and reconciliation between men and Himself. All heaven is rejoicing that the Savior who has come to take man's sins away is born!
In Rev. 19, the Marriage of the Lamb is about to take place. The Bride has made herself ready, and is clothed in fine white linen, clean and bright. This fine linen is "the righteous acts of the saints." (Rev. 19:8). It is time not to just speak righteousness, but to BE righteousness.
I believe we need to declare the righteousness of God, our Father (Psalm 40:9-10), to speak the truth of the need and the privilege to walk in righteousness, but the Psalmist also declares this:
"I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart."
Psalm 40:8
In Zechariah, the angel of the LORD says to the priest, Joshua, as He clothes him in righteousness:
"If you will walk in My ways,
And if you will keep My command,
Then you shall also judge My house,
And likewise have charge of My courts;"
Zech. 3:6-7
As the verses above say, the way of righteousness starts with a change in my own heart. Why would the LORD want someone to judge His House, who does not himself, walk in the righteousness of our Father? This righteousness is found through Jesus only, not by my own power.
I do not know if I have the right understanding of this, but I know that what we are now doing, isn't working. We need to really think about this issue, and try to discern what the heart of God truly is in this. Time grows short, souls are in the balance, and there is much work to be done.
Our Father is Righteousness.
"Lord, I Need You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKjmy5pGyqA
"You Are My Hiding Place"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF5ieYJCqnw
