Patrick Jane Forums | Anthropology & Theology

I was reviewing my notes this morning for what good works are according to scripture....do you see belief listed as a good work?

The first thing we notice is that God created good works for us to do before hand and we should be walking in those good works. (Ephesians 2:10)  So what then are these good works?  Let’s start with Ephesians 1:4 (HCSB) For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love.  Notice that here, we are chosen before to be holy and blameless...could this be the works we were created for?  To be holy and blameless.  We are told in Matthew 3:10 to produce good fruits.  (Matthew 7:17-19; Matthew 12:33; Matthew 13:8; Matthew 13:23; Mark 4:8; Luke 3:9; Luke 6:43) Likewise all the works Jesus did were “good works”. (John 10:32; John 10:33)  Romans 7:18 says that there is nothing good in our flesh.  Romans 8:5 (Galatians 5:17) tells us that those who live according to the flesh do the things of the flesh.  Those who live according to the Spirit do the things of the Spirit.  Some of the works of the flesh that we are to avoid include sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, sorcery, jealousy, fits of anger, strife, divisions, envy, drunkenness, drinking parties, coveting, slander, pride, foolishness, lusts, lies, greed, fortune telling, and swindling. (I Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 5:19-21; I Peter 4:3; Mark 7:21-23; Galatians 5:20-21; Romans 1:24-32; I John 3:4; James 4:1-17; Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16-26; I Timothy 1:10; I Corinthians 6:9-11; II Chronicles 33:6; John 8:44; Matthew 5:28)  Where this is not a complete list of fleshly works, the list of good works is not all the good works either.  The good works include; gentleness, self control, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, serving one another, give without thought of reward, righteousness, praying, truth, compassion, humility, denying the flesh, purity, knowledge, and holiness. (Galatians 5:22-23; Galatians 5:6; Galatians 5:13; Matthew 6:1-34; Romans 5:1; Romans 14:17; Romans 15:30; I Corinthians 13; Ephesians 5:9; Colossians 3:12; I Thessalonians 1:6; Romans 13:14; II Corinthians 6:6; Ephesians 4:24; Ephesians 4:32; Philippians 2:3)
   In Matthew 26:10 (Mark 14:6) we see the woman who anointed Christ’s feet with her tears and dried them with her hair and anointed them with expensive oils.  The KJV calls her actions a good work.  Something that is praiseworthy by virtue of it’s beauty and purity.  We know we are not to grow weary of doing good. (Galatians 6:9)  How can we not grow weary?  When we feel ourselves beginning to grow weary, what can we do?  We can wait on the Lord (Isaiah 40:31) fear God and trust in Him, (Luke 18:18) and renounce the secret and shameful ways of the flesh, allow no deceit or distorting of God’s word, openly proclaim the truth. (II Corinthians 4:1-2)  We can live in the extraordinary power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, allowing Him to renew us from the inside, while focusing our attentions on the things that are eternal and yet to come rather than on the temporal things in the moment. (II Corinthians 4:7-18)  Likewise, when we feel ourselves growing weary we can do the things that please God so that in due time we will reap the eternal rewards that God promises. (Galatians 6:8-10)  We allow Christ to be our example and remember how much He endured.  In this we consider Christ and fix our eyes on Him. (Hebrews 12:2-4)  If we are righteous, we will hold to our right way, the imitation of Christ while cleaning our hands in the truth of Christ. (Job 17:9) Finally we learn that the good things that God gives are satisfying and in that we find strength. (Psalms 103:5; I Timothy 6:6)

I have repeatedly told you that I don't teach or preach in my church so why would you ask me if this is what I teach/preach?