May 18, 2024 – The Servant Community and The Place of Good Works (with Art Mealer)

Back on May 5th in this space I wrote regarding the fact that we have been saved by His glorious grace, but that salvation was not just from judgment, hell, death, and the grave, But Unto Something. Namely being salt and light in the world and good works that He had preordained that we should walk in them.  Here is an excerpt:

Many tend to rest, as they should, in His grace and mercy based much on the foundation of these very familiar verses in Ephesians 2.

[Ephesians 2:4-9 NASB95] 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

This passage, and particularly verses 8-9, give us rest in His mercy in Jesus, and make it clear that we can never work to earn salvation or righteousness.  Praise the Lord!  His mercy endures forever!

The thing that has concerned me for a long time is that many believers never consider the context  of the next verse in Paul’s letter to Ephesus.

[Ephesians 2:10 NASB95] 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Why did He save us?   Because we are His workmanship. He created, infact, created us in Christ Jesus (had us redeemed from a fallen creation, reborn, born again) for a purpose.  What was the purpose He saved us unto?Good works!  But, do note, not good works unto or earning salvation or righteousness.  Or, good works we dream up, initiate, purpose in ourselves, to somehow curry favor and brownie points so we can boast in “what a good boy am I!”  NO!   But, Good works which He/God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 

He did not save us in Christ for our pleasure alone.  He did not save us in Christ to save us from hell, just judgement, and for a fire escape. Or, that we could just sit by placidly in His  salvation and righteousness in Christ.  Nor did He save us to work FOR Him.  He saved us to work WITH Him in His purpose.  (another familiar verse: [Romans 8:28 NASB95] 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to [His] purpose.)

We are saved NOT FROM SOMETHING, but UNTO SOMETHING. Namely, to co labor with Him/God in His purpose in Jesus Christ! Doing not our own thing, but the good works He has prepared specifically for us since before our salvation, perhaps before the foundation of the world. 

Last week in our weekly fellowship gathering our brother Art Mealer shared a perspective and scriptural insight on the place of good works in the body of Christ, and the community of servants that it is intended to be.   I believe many will benefit from these insights. It comes from an study seeing that there is no exhortation by Paul to evangelism, but much attention and direction given to good works   Here is the excerpt from a book Art is working on  “The Servant Community”:

While Paul addressed a wide variety of problems in the letters he wrote to the churches, he never broaches the subject of evangelism. Oddly missing is anywhere in an epistle where Paul, or any other apostle, encourages the believers to evangelize, or to increase their efforts to share the gospel in their community, or to share it more deliberately, more intentionally, more effectively. Nowhere is there a congregation that is chided for their lack of evangelistic enthusiasm.

Against the dearth of scripture encouraging evangelism, the preponderance of scripture encouraging good works is overwhelming. Here are fifteen verses from nine epistles advocating good works within and without the community. This presents a very strong and surprising focus in the epistles encouraging the saints to do good works. There is no comparable emphasis on evangelism.

GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TO YOU, SO THAT HAVING ALL SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS AT ALL TIMES, YOU MAY ABOUND IN EVERY GOOD WORK. —II Corinthians 9:8

LET US NOT GROW WEARY OF DOING GOOD, FOR IN DUE SEASON WE WILL REAP, IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP. —Galatians 6:9

SO THEN, AS WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD TO EVERYONE, AND ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH. —Galatians 6:10

WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM. —Ephesians 2:10

WALK IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE LORD, FULLY PLEASING TO HIM: BEARING FRUIT IN EVERY GOOD WORK AND INCREASING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD—Colossians 1:10

LET A WIDOW BE ENROLLED IF SHE IS NOT LESS THAN SIXTY YEARS OF AGE, HAVING BEEN THE WIFE OF ONE HUSBAND, AND HAVING A REPUTATION FOR GOOD WORKS (THINK OF DORCAS): IF SHE HAS BROUGHT UP CHILDREN, HAS SHOWN HOSPITALITY, HAS WASHED THE FEET OF THE SAINTS, HAS CARED FOR THE AFFLICTED, AND HAS DEVOTED HERSELF TO EVERY GOOD WORK. —I Timothy 5:9-10

AS FOR THE RICH IN THIS PRESENT AGE, …THEY ARE TO DO GOOD, TO BE RICH IN GOOD WORKS, TO BE GENEROUS AND READY TO SHARE, THUS STORING UP TREASURE FOR THEMSELVES AS A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE, SO THAT THEY MAY TAKE HOLD OF THAT WHICH IS TRULY LIFE. —I Timothy 6:17-19

ALL SCRIPTURE IS BREATHED OUT BY GOD AND PROFITABLE FOR TEACHING, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, AND FOR TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE COMPLETE, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.—II Timothy 3:16-17

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works—Titus 2:7

OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US TO REDEEM US FROM ALL LAWLESSNESS AND TO PURIFY FOR HIMSELF A PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN POSSESSION WHO ARE ZEALOUS FOR GOOD WORKS. —Titus 2:13-14

THE SAYING IS TRUSTWORTHY, AND I WANT YOU TO INSIST ON THESE THINGS, SO THAT THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVED IN GOD MAY BE CAREFUL TO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO GOOD WORKS. THESE THINGS ARE EXCELLENT AND PROFITABLE FOR PEOPLE. —Titus 3:8

LET OUR PEOPLE LEARN TO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO GOOD WORKS, SO AS TO HELP CASES OF URGENT NEED, AND NOT BE UNFRUITFUL.—Titus 3:14

AND LET US CONSIDER HOW TO STIR UP ONE ANOTHER TO LOVE AND GOOD WORKS,—Hebrews 10:24

DO NOT NEGLECT TO DO GOOD AND TO SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE, FOR SUCH SACRIFICES ARE PLEASING TO GOD  —Hebrews 13:16

KEEP YOUR CONDUCT AMONG THE GENTILES HONORABLE, SO THAT WHEN THEY SPEAK AGAINST YOU AS EVILDOERS, THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND GLORIFY GOD ON THE DAY OF VISITATION. —I Peter 2:12

Go back and reread these verses again, this time exchanging “evangelism” or “evangelistic efforts” for “good works.” It is a shock to recognize the emphasis in the epistles is not on evangelism, which our evangelical traditions would lead you to expect, but on good works.

“JESUS WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD.” (Acts 10:38, NASB) And we do well to follow His example. Doing good, caring for each other’s needs, sacrificing our time, our money, our food, our goods—becomes an incubator of love as we learn to take burdensome action to benefit others within the community. Strong mutual bonds weave the community together. Our primary focus for doing good work is loving and caring for our fellow believers, such as widows, the fatherless, the sick, the hurting, and the poor. We bring light and hope to the world by how we love one another (which is keenly watching what we do).

Instead of creating corporately administrated church and para-church ministries, we each are the instruments of providential care directed by the Head of the community at the times and places He chooses. Like rivulets of living water spreading into various nooks and crannies, each of us penetrates society and workplaces and schools and neighborhoods at the point of someone needing the manifestation of Christ. At these natural, personal touchpoints, be kind, be generous, be thoughtful. Be willing to be interrupted and to go out of your way. You may need the help of one or two others. You may need the whole community to take up a collection. But most of the time, His good works in the community and the surrounding peoples will be spontaneous coincidences interrupting our attention. There are ample opportunities to do good to everyone. Note what Paul says to the Galatians:

LET US NOT GROW WEARY [we are continually exerting ourselves, more than volunteering for an hour or two per week and more than giving a few dollars a week] WHILE DOING GOOD [a lifestyle that flavors all of our activities and our interactions and leads us to sacrifice for others] , FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP [we may not always see the results of being kind and generous and patient, so we can’t relay on immediate feedback to keep us giving of ourselves. We need to know God notices] IF WE DO NOT LOSE HEART [don’t be discouraged, especially when your kindnesses are not returned and don’t seem to be bearing fruit even though you give and give]. THEREFORE, AS WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY [we don’t need to create artificial ministries—opportunities will cross our paths every day to do good by words, reactions, and deeds], LET US DO GOOD TO ALL [there is a guideline for loving lavishly], ESPECIALLY [be on special alert to the needs and longings of one another] TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH.  —Galatians 6:9-10

     Those who are His disciples and marked by love will be known by the nature of their activities and interactions. Unerringly, love will find its way to substance through an assortment of good works and a gracious maturity, making us an example to others. Being described (by ourselves or others) with words like love, kindness, and forgiveness confirms that “It shows.” If it doesn’t show, something is very wrong. We are missing out on the joy He intended our care and labors to bring. Run to your closet and ask Him to show you where He hurts. The observation James makes about faith seems equally appropriate applied to demonstrable love. James points out the impotence of claims that lack evidence,

NOW SOMEONE MAY ARGUE, “SOME PEOPLE HAVE FAITH; OTHERS HAVE GOOD DEEDS.” BUT I SAY, “HOW CAN YOU SHOW ME YOUR FAITH IF YOU DON’T HAVE GOOD DEEDS? I WILL SHOW YOU MY FAITH BY MY GOOD DEEDS.” [actions speak louder than words. Faith should not be invisible in its effects on our lives] —James 2:15-18

     Faith and works are not divisible. Neither is love and works. It seems reasonable to say, “Show me your love without your works, and I will show you my love by my works.” Take the case of Dorcas. You could certainly see her love by her works.

NOW THERE WAS AT JOPPA A CERTAIN DISCIPLE NAMED TABITHA, WHICH BY INTERPRETATION IS CALLED DORCAS: THIS WOMAN WAS FULL OF GOOD WORKS AND ALMS-DEEDS WHICH SHE DID.  … ALL THE WIDOWS STOOD BY HIM WEEPING, AND SHEWING THE COATS AND GARMENTS WHICH DORCAS MADE  

                                                                                                        —Acts 9:36,39

     This memorial to Dorcas never mentions love. But notice the beneficiaries of her labor are in tears, honoring her by showing off the gifts of coats and garments she made for them. Love here is absent words but is evidenced by its recipients. People do need to hear we love them. Saying the words is significant. But seeing love in action is critical. Over time, genuine love will leave a trail of good works, such as Dorcas’s coats and garments, physical evidences of our love.

Excellent insight.  SELAH… and as Hebrews 10:24 exhorts us…

LET US CONSIDER HOW TO STIR UP ONE ANOTHER TO LOVE AND GOOD WORKS,