tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5528158760608808912.post3808549598976821384..comments2024-03-28T16:55:57.201-04:00Comments on AS BEREANS DID: Abraham's Faith and Works - or Faith and Parachutes, Part 3Marthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12438486498450616814noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5528158760608808912.post-27815791998842263402016-01-30T10:03:30.278-05:002016-01-30T10:03:30.278-05:00This is a really good article, Martha. Plainly dem...This is a really good article, Martha. Plainly demonstrates that putting works as the focus is putting the cart before the horse.<br /><br />Righteousness is a description of our standing with God. Our standing with God is wholly dependent on our response to His invitation to us - in other words, faith. By faith we accept the Holy Spirit into our hearts and are regenerated. By the regeneration of the Holy Spirit our works and our lives change to reflect our new condition. Our works are a result of our new condition by faith. Good works are the evidence of righteousness, not the cause of righteousness. The heart must be righteous *before* good works can flow from it.<br />Yet if our works do not change, if we do not let the regeneration have its way in us, then what good was the faith? Faith not evidenced by works is dead faith.<br /><br />If we focus on our works apart from faith, or changing our works by our own strength apart from the Holy Spirit, then we are putting the cart before the horse. In some extreme cases, we might even be attempting to circumvent or even manipulate God. Beware of that!! I think you are right to point out that this is precisely what the COGs are doing. And you are right to point out that it's equally improper to take the approach of "Now that I am righteous by faith, I'm going to focus on works of law so that I can self-generate more and more righteousness." It doesn't come that way. How can it possibly increase that way?<br /><br />I think you really show all of this well in your article.xHWAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01061716053302210598noreply@blogger.com