Good Works and Salvation

John Colquhoun’s propositions on “The Necessity of Good Works” [From A Treatise on the Law and Gospel. Pages 289-303]:

In what ways good works ARE NOT necessary:

1.       Good works are not necessary to move God to be merciful and gracious to us.

2.       Our good works are not necessary to afford us a right to trust in Christ for salvation

3.       Neither are good works necessary to acquire for us a personal interest in Christ

4.       Good Works are not requisite to acquire for us a right to increasing degrees of sanctification

5.       Once more, good works have no place in obtaining for the saints a right to eternal life in heaven.

In what ways good works ARE necessary:

1.       They are necessary as just acknowledgments of God’s sovereign authority over believers, and as acts of obedience to His righteous commands

2.       Good works are indispensably requisite as being one special end of election, redemption, regeneration, and effectual vocation of the objects of God’s everlasting love.

3.       Good works are also necessary inasmuch as they are one great design of the gospel, and of the ordinances and providential dispensations of the Lord.

4.       It is indispensably requisite that believers perform good works as expressions of gratitude to their God and Savior for all His inestimable benefits vouchsafed to them.

5.       Good works are not less necessary as they are our walking in the way which leads to heaven.

6.       Good works are also indispensably requisite in order to evidence and confirm the faith of the saints.

7.       Good works are necessary to believers for making their calling and election sure to them.

8.       Good works are indispensably requisite for the maintenance or continuance of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

9.       Good works are no less needful in order to adorn the doctrine of God our Savior, and our profession of that holy and heavenly doctrine.

10.   Good works are also requisite to stop the mouths of wicked men and to prevent offense.

11.   They are necessary, moreover, for the edification and comfort of fellow Christians.

12.   Finally good works are indispensably requisite for promoting before the world the manifested glory of Christ, and of God in Him.

Colquhoun on Good Works and Salvation

In commending good works, John Colquhoun adds this important warning:

Believers are not saved either by their works, for their works, or according to their works:

We are not saved by them: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." (Titus 3:5)

We are not saved for them. "It is not for your sake do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you" (Ezekiel 36:32)

We are not saved according to them. "He hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace." (2 Timothy 1:9) Men are indeed to be judged according to their works; but are not to be saved according to them. The rule of judgement will be the law; but the rule of salvation will be the gospel.

Pleasing and Satisfying God

A Question arises when speaking about conduct and God’s attitude towards a believer. Can God be satisfied by my actions? Can I please or displease God by my actions? To some the answer to both is an obvious yes, to others the answer is an obvious no. Those who say yes say there are actions that are more pleasing to God and actions that are less pleasing to God. Those who say no point to the work of Christ, and that his work standing for ours means that God at no point loves us more or less than with the love of His Son and so is always perfectly pleased with us.

If you noticed the two questions, you may have noticed there is a change of language from inquiring of God’s “satisfaction” to wondering about God’s being “pleased.” Such a difference in language is intentional. I wish to show why my answer to those questions is different:

1) Can God be satisfied by my actions?

My answer: No. Our actions cannot satisfy God.

Lewis S. Chaffer was known for saying to his students in class over and over again: “God is fully satisfied.” He wanted to ingrain to them that they were not in seminary or going into the ministry to satisfy God, and if they were, they were there for the wrong reason.

Satisfaction has a particular meaning referring to the justice of God. By that standard, we required the substitution of the work of Christ, Such as Described in Romans 5:17-19. Our Catechism describes the blessing of justification in such a way that “Justification is an act of God’s free grace unto sinners, in which he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous in his sight; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ,”

Christ has fully satisfied the justice of God. The only righteousness that causes us to be just in the sight of God is the righteousness of Christ and our actions cannot satisfy God more or less than the work of Christ.

But to the second question:

2) Can I please or displease God by my actions?

Yes. We are specifically told that our actions and our walk relate to God’s being pleased:

1 Thess 4:1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

Other places contain instructions encouraging us to “try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” (Eph 5:10) So this leaves us wondering, do these things contradict? To say God cannot be more satisfied, but that I ought to work towards pleasing the Lord?

These do not contradict, but sweetly comply. Satisfaction refers to the legal judgment of God. Thus, in justification we are taught that Christ’s satisfaction stands for us, that God is perfectly satisfied in his divine justice in the work of His Son taking our place and penalty. However, pleasing in the sense of the believer acting towards God does not refer to that legal aspect. We do not add to or take away from our justification. In justification, God related to us as a Judge. Now that justice has been satisfied before that Judge, we are told that we have been adopted (Gal 4:6-7). Notice, for instance, that in Galatians that while Paul lays our justification by faith (Galatians 2), that before Paul gets to our Christian walk he must pass through our Adoption at the end of Galatians 3 and beginning of Galatians 4. This is reproduced in our Catechisms where we are told that we walk through the benefits of salvation first in justification, then in adoption and finally in sanctification. That particular order is very important. Sanctification, the Christian Life, Walking in the Spirit is a process done in light of Adoption. We no longer relate to God as a Judge, but as a Father.

How does that relate to satisfy and pleasing? One must satisfy justice before a judge. One works to please a Father.

Some may object, saying that our status as sons of the Father means that God only looks on us in love and pride and would never be either angry or displeased. This formulation, however, is not the treatment we see in Scripture. God is very angry with his people, many of them true regenerates, over the sin of Achan in Joshua 7. God was angry with the generation of the Exodus, though they were his children. [Deut 1:34-37] God as a Father can be displeased with the acts of his children. We do not have a senile grandfather in Heaven, but a good Father. A good Father does not merely send his children out to live however they want without discipline:

Hebrews 12:5-11: And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

We forget this passage. We forget that a Father disciplines his children. We forget that God can be displeased in the acts of his sons, even when he loves them and his justice is satisfied. The regeneration of a believer, and indeed the union of the believer to Christ is not the end of God’s rod and staff. This rod and staff continue to discipline his children but in love. He disciplines for it teaches us righteousness. He disciplines us to do what pleases Him. And when we worship God we do not worship a neutered God, but one for whom we have reverence and awe, and for whom we do fear to displease, for we fear to displease our Father, though when we do we remember his acceptance and the satisfaction of Christ, not to placate our passivity, but to spur us on to actively pursue God’s character and face as given in his commands, for if we love God, we will endeavor to follow his commands.

Sinclair Ferguson on Holiness

I've been trying to listen to more of Sinclair Ferguson's sermons lately, as they have been recommended to me by several people. These I found particularly helpful. Doctrinal, serious in their call to holiness (the topic addressed in these sessions) but also gospel-filled. Take a listen to these from a Ligonier Conference:

Titus 2:11-14 - Our Holiness: The Father's Purpose and the Son's Purchase

John 15 - Our Holiness: Abiding in Christ's Love

Thinking through Motivation in Sanctification

What is our motivation to change?

Definition/Clarification of terms.

What is “Changing” or spiritual progress?: Not mere behavior modification, but modification based on changed affections. As Owen defines it: “cleaving unto God in all powers and affections of our minds.” (John Owen. Duty and Grace of Spiritual Mindedness, 382)

Practical consideration: How is a Christian given hope in the midst of unending struggle? What motives and encouragement exist for the Christian?

Pastorally, how do we respond to:
1)The Christian who wants to change but faces difficulty.
2)The professed Christian who does not want to change.

Possible Answers considered

Does one persevere in growth...

A) For Salvation? (-some Arminians, Roman Catholics)

One cannot be told that a Christian can have a salvation that is taken away due to their works. “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Gal 3:3) Although sanctification is necessary in salvation (Rom 6:22), it is not by works (Acts 26:18), just as salvation and justification can in no way be merited by Christians (Rom 3:20, 4:2-6; Titus 3:5-7; WCF 16.5)

(John 10:28, Romans 8:29, 8:35-39, Phil 1:6. Westminster Confession Ch 17.)

B) For Assurance? (-many Puritans)

Although salvation cannot be taken away, profession is not equivalent to possession.

1Jn 2:3-5 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him. (See also 2 Peter 1:5-10)

If we not only do not keep his commandments (as we will only do partially, and imperfectly) but also have no desire to keep his commandments, to love the law of God as a revelation of God's nature, then we cannot know that we are His. Yet, although this is a better answer than A, this is a standard of measurement, and not a proper motivation. Assurance as motivation can bring questions of the means of salvation, rather than the presence of love as evidential of salvation. Assurance then is an effect, a benefit of spiritual growth, not a singular motivation.

There is a difference between effect/evidence and motivation. Although “assurance” is a better answer than “salvation,” assurance is a benefit rather than a motivation for changing. Assurance as a motivation can bring questions about the means of salvation.

C) For Reward? (-many Free Gracers, pop Christian psychologists)

This could be an improper motivation. “Reward” is a vague term and could be false if it views spiritual growth as merely following the law, viewing the law as a merit-reward system. Although “reward” is a word and concept used in Scripture, it is not placed as a motivation apart from the Giver and is usually by means of gracious covenant (merited by Christ). Temporal and eternal blessing is function of the gospel, not the law. (Gal 3:10-13) Also, if the gift/reward is removed, what motivation does the believer have left? This would reveal a service to “the creation rather than the Creator.) (Romans 1:25) Therefore motivation should not be set upon a rewards-system (cf. Gal 3:11; Heb 11:13-16, 26)...unless we mean...


D) For God in Christ as our reward.

“there is, though not an absolute perfection, yet a blessed degree of heavenly mindedness to be attained, and therein the nearest approach unto glory that in this world we are capable of” (John Owen. Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded. 382) [Col 3:2-5]

By heavenly mindedness, Owen is not meaning mere reward but Reward, using Colossians 3, which directs us to “seek the things that are above, where Christ is.” Heavenly mindedness is Christ-mindedness, a reflection on God in Christ as the delight and reward of man, (Gen 15:1 KJV; Ps 33:1; modeled in Heb 12:2, John 6:47-65) that makes the law of God a delight (Ps 1; Rom 7:22), seeing God's will (1 Thess 4:3) as our greatest good. The chief end or purpose of man is stated as being glorifying and “enjoying” God (West. Catechism Q1). This too is not perfected but begun in this life. (Ph 4:4, Psa 16:5-11)

In this way, the motivation is a reward, drawn by love. The “why?” is answered in revealing Christ to the believer. Sanctifying grace, too, is irresistible to the degree that Christ is seen and draws the believer. Our ultimate answer to why we persevere in spiritual progress is: because we love Him. (2 Cor 5:14; Eph 3:17-19; 1 Thes 1:3; 2 Thes 3:5, etc.) So not by the Law (Gal 3:10-13, “The law was never ordained of God to convey grace or spiritual strength unto souls of men.” Owen Dominion), nor our wills in will-worship (Col 2:20-23), but by apprehending and experiencing Christ.

Illustration

Here, the answers may be compared to a marriage. Does one do acts of love for a wife because A) she will leave you if you don't B) you are assured of her love for you C) she returns the favor or D) because you love her. All may be motiations at one time or another, but all are subservient to D.

Implications:

The job of the pastor in counseling motivation towards spiritual progress, which ought to be understood as a change in affections (“cleaving unto God in all powers and affections of our minds.” as Owen describes it), the goal is a revealing of Christ in His Person, Work and Beauty that we may love Him, as motivation, sustenance, growth in affections and power unto spiritual growth.

We are to see Christ Who is the supremely beautiful, living, Good, joyful, glorious, and the summum bonum, and our motivation, in our best moments. If we truly are regenerate, we cannot help but change and make progress moving towards the object of our worship, adoration and love in so far as He is thought of and seen by the believer, even though He is clouded by our lack of perfect sight. We become like what we love and worship. Why do we spiritually grow in love for others? Because He first loved us in Christ. Why are we faithful, and not adulterous? Because God is faithful to us in Christ. Why are we truthful, for God is truthful to us in His promises.

To encourage, the aim of a pastor would not be to send them to their bare works, but to the object of their heart. A regenerate heart cannot remain completely cold to the Savior placed before them. The challenge is to place the Savior before the believer and cultivate a desire created by the vision and experience of Christ.


Appendix Implications:

How Christ is seen: Christ must be seen to compel progress in the Spiritual life. Christ is seen in the Scriptures (Luke 24, John 6) in the Supper (1 Cor 10:16; 11:24-26), in Preaching (1 Cor 1:21, Romans 10:14-15) and in prayer and meditation. (Ps. 69:13; Luke 6:12)

So not by the Law (Gal 3:10-13, “The law was never ordained of God to convey grace or spiritual strength unto souls of men.” Owen Dominion), nor our wills in will-worship (Col 2:20-23), but by apprehending and experiencing Christ through the Means of Grace as the means of grace take on significance as a place to receive Christ, not a mechanical method.

Effects/Benefits of spiritual growth: Although the true motivation is love, the effects are multiple such as believers manifesting their thankfulness (Ps 116:12, Ps 116:13; 1Pet 2:9), strengthening their assurance (2 Pet 1:5-10; 1Jo 2:3, 1Jo 2:5), building up the church (Mat 5:16; 2 Cor 9:2), proving wrong the enemies of the church (1Pe 2:15), and glorifying God (Joh 15:8; Phi 1:11; 1Pet 2:12). (cf. WCF 16.2)