May 16, 2019 – Click here to listen
I have an acquaintance who not that long ago started a ministry and the Lord is blessing it. He has worked hard and devoted significant amounts of his resources to it and is to be congratulated. The problem as I see it is that he never gives the Lord any credit for the ministry’s accomplishments at least to me. It sounds like he is warming up to do a concert – Mi-mi-mi – whenever he discusses “his” ministry. It is all about him and his sacrifice, his brilliance, his ingenuity, his business skillset, his resources, blah blah blah
As for me I think this is a slippery slope. Jesus said in John 15:33 These things I have spoken to you that you may know peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer I have overcome the world. Jesus overcame the world and not His disciples and certainly not us. The peace we enjoy from ministry and all of life is derived through Christ. Paul is very clear about this in Ephesians. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life . . .
This boasting spirit shows pride and glorification of oneself. It takes the glory away from the Lord. If you want to glorify someone, then let it be God to encourage others. Someone has wisely said: “God deserves the glory, the only thing we deserve is hell.” All the good that is in your life is from God. Praise His name.
The Bible teaches that genuine salvation is entirely of God and it inevitably results in a life of good works. Thus, while salvation is entirely of God, so are the good works that follow salvation, (For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.) God has ordained the entire process. Just as we cannot claim any glory for ourselves in our initial salvation, even so we cannot claim any glory in our subsequent good works. Salvation is a two-part entity, accepting Christ as our Savior and doing the good works that follow. God is behind the entirety of our salvation from start to finish.
In summary we are not saved by good works, but we are saved for good works. We should pray for humility in all that we do . . .
Prov 27:2
“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth”