Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-11-25
THE NECESSARY USES"
GOOD WORKS..

GOOD WORKS.
Editor Courier:
,, Because we have so earnestly con-
tended that good works are of no use
either in obtaining or keeping ones
salvation, doubtless some of your
readers will have concluded that we
do not believe in good works at all.
If so. let us look at the other side of
the question.
In Titus 3:14 we read, land let ours
also learn to maintain good works for
necessary uses that they be not un-
| fruitful" According to this there are
necessary uses" for good works and
/ it plainly implies that there are uses
for which they are not necessary.
| Such scriptures as But to him that
| worketh not. but believeth on him
| that justifieth the ungodly, his faith
| is counted for righteousness (Rom.
4:5); But that no man is justified
! by the law in the sight of God, 1T is
evident: for the just shall live by
faith" (Gal. BID; For by grace are
We saved through faith: and that not
of yourselves; it is the gift of God;
not of works lest any man should
boast" (Eph. 2:8, 81, show plainly that
good works or lawkeeping are useless
as means of obtaining salvation.
And, LET them that suffer according
to the will of God commit the keeping
of their souls to him in we'll doing
as unto faithful Creator q Peter
4:19); "He is able to keep that which
II have committed unto him against
that day. Oh Tim. 1:12): "You who
are kept by the power of God through
faith" I Peter 1:5); Nov unto him
who is able to keep you from falling
Jude 24), show that the keeping of
the soul is as much Gods prerogative
as the saving. What, then, are the
necessary uses" of good works?
In the first scripture quoted above |
it says that when Christians maintain |
good works they are not unfruitful |
That is, by their cody lives they will
induce others to become Christians
and thereby ''bear much fruit"
In his letter to the Ephesians from
4:17 to 5:1S Paul mentions many
things which Christians should not
do and exhorts them to do the oppo-
site. In verse 80 of the fourth chap
ter he gives as reason for this
course that they "grieve not the holy
spirit of God whereby We are sealed
unto the day of redemption" Peter
ellis us q Peter 2:12) that by good
works" God will be glorif1ed Other
scriptures which suggest the same
.hought are I Peter 4:14-16; Thess.
I'll.
In I Tim. 4:12 Timothy is exhorted
% "be an example of the believers
n every way Similar scriptures are j.
Thess. 1:6-7; Peter 5:1-3; II Thess.
}: 60. +.
Did not want OF space forbid, nu.
nerous passages might be cited show. :
ne that by good works Christians are
neriting reward. laying up treasure !,
n heaven which will be melted out
o them at the Judgment seat OF !
Christ Il Cor. 3:11-15). Still other :
Uses for good works might be pointed ,
,ut, but surely these win suffice to {
any candid mind that the
necessary uses for good works are {
hat the Christian "be not unfruitful,"
hat he "grieve not the holy spirit of !.
God whereby he is sealed unto the
lay of redemption" that he glorify t
God and that he may be an example
or other believers" g
Kind reader, let US insist again that
10 amount of effort on the part OF the
lnsaved to do works Of righteousness
will bring him into favor with God for :
t is mot by works Of righteousness
which we have done, but according to S
lis mercy He saved u.s." Git. $3.50
Nj such effort will only prove to be
dead works" (Heb. $40 and must +
esult in placing the doors among the
many in Matt. 1922 who, In the !
Judgment will be prating of their
wonderful works in His name" only
o hear the awful sentence, depart
rom me, We that work iniquity ". I
81.
J. c. Pearson,