The sermon explores the concept of good works according to the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689. It emphasizes that good works are only those commanded by God in the Bible and not devised by man out of blind zeal or good intentions. Jesus and scripture affirm that only God is good, and therefore, we must turn to Him to learn what is good. The sermon highlights the importance of knowing and understanding what is good, and how our motivation and heart play a crucial role in performing good works. It concludes by emphasizing that our works can only be considered good if they are directed towards the glory of God.

A reading from the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 comes this morning from chapter 16 of Good Works. Good works are only such as God hath commanded in his holy word, and Not such as without the warrants thereof are devised by men Out of blind zeal or upon any pretense of good intentions We start a new Chapter this week chapter 16 of good works And since we're starting a new chapter, let us take a moment to remember some of what we have covered already. In chapter eight of Christ the Mediator, we saw God the Son accomplishing the plan of redemption. In chapter nine of Free Will, we concluded that our free will is not able to achieve our own redemption. Our redemption comes only from the Holy Spirit's work in us.

And chapters 10 through 18 cover the application of that redemption accomplished by Christ. Specifically chapters 10 through 14 cover effectual call, justification, adoption, sanctification, and saving faith. These are all about God's sovereignty and his mercy towards us. These are his saving acts for us. Chapters 15 through 18 covering repentance, good works, perseverance, and assurance.

These are rather our responses to what God has done for us. The main point of today's paragraph is to define what is a good work. We'll be covering seven weeks of looking at good works in the Confession. The Confession gives us a positive answer and a negative answer to this very important question. Specifically, the confession tells us that good works are only those works commanded by God in the Bible, whether directly or implicitly, not devised by man, whether from zeal or good intentions.

Before looking at good works, let's first remind ourselves what is good. Jesus responds to the rich young man's address to him as a good master in Mark 10, 18. And Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God. Only God is good.

Paul quotes from Psalm 14 in his letter to the Romans that there is no one righteous, no one that does good. And in Romans 10 through 12, as it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way They are together become unprofitable There is none that doeth good.

No, not one. So if none of us is good, how can we do good works? If only God is good, it is to him, we must turn to learn what is good. Let's see what answers we can find in the scripture. We look at Micah 6 8, He has showed thee, O man, what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

In 3 John chapter 1 verse 11, Beloved, do not imitate evil, but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God. Whoever does evil has not seen God. In Psalm 34 Verse 14, turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. In Hebrews 13, 21, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever, amen.

And finally from Timothy's second letter, God tells us all that we need to know to be equipped for every good work. In chapter three, verses 16 through 17, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. It is through scripture, God's word, that we become thoroughly furnished into all good works. And these good works are only those works God has commanded in his holy word to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with thy God, to imitate good, to seek peace, to do his will, to do God's will, to keep his commandments. We can read more in Deuteronomy, what God requires of us in chapter 10, verses 12 and 13.

And now Israel, what does the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, to keep thy commandments of the Lord and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good. But what about works that we do out of zeal for God? What about works that we do from good intentions? The confession tells us that good works are not good works if they're devised by man and are not warranted by scripture, even when zealous or having good intentions. Paul warns of this in his letters in Colossians 2.8, beware lest any man spoil You through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ.

Romans 10 2, for I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Many have thought their acts from good intentions, yet in reality they were acting in direct opposition to God's will. We have several examples from Saul's behavior as king. In 1 Samuel 13, 11 through 13, Samuel rebukes Saul for performing the pre-battle sacrifices himself rather than waiting for Samuel to arrive as the priest to rightly perform these duties. And in 1 Samuel 15, 17-23, Samuel again rebukes Saul for not completely destroying or consuming all of the Amalekites, men, women, children, flocks, and spoil.

Men have also shown zeal in doing what they thought was good service to God, when in fact they were committing terrible crimes. In John 16 two, Jesus warns the disciples of the dangers awaiting them, that the Jews will kill them and think it is service to God and in Acts 26 9 through 11 Paul tells King Agrippa of his acts persecuting the Christians thinking that was a good work. When you're following the traditions of men, commandments of men, or the precepts of men, your worship will be in vain, because your heart will be after man rather than Christ, after God's commands. Scripture tells us in Matthew 15, nine, "'But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. In Isaiah 29 13, wherefore the Lord said, for as much as this people draw near me with their mouth and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me and their fear toward me is taught by the precepts of men.

Dr. Sproul comments, A work is good because God says it's good, not because we say it's good. Bad works involve sin, which is a lack of conformity to or transgression of the law of God. Conversely, good works involve conformity to and the obedience of the law of God. Outward conformity to the law of God is not enough.

Outwardly, good works without proper motivation, they're evil in God's sight. The point of the confession is that goodness and evil are defined by the law of God. The real good consists of knowing what is good and having the moral strength to do it. The stronger the conviction to do what is right becomes, the easier it is to perform it. We must search Scripture to know what is good.

And Paul tells us to be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, from Romans 12, two. And it is in Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Colossians 2, three. Robert Shaw concludes, a work commanded by God is good, considered in itself, but something More is requisite to make it good as performed by us One They must be performed by a person who is justified by the righteousness of Christ and renewed by his spirit Two they must be done from a right principle, faith working by love. There must be faith or persuasion that what we do is commanded by God. And we must perform it from a respect to his authority.

There must also be a faith of the acceptance of our works only through the mediation of Christ. Our obedience must likewise flow from love of God. Number three, They must be performed in a right manner. They must be done in the strength of promised grace and independence upon the righteousness of Christ for acceptance and independence upon the righteousness of Christ for acceptance in the exercise of gratitude to God for all his benefits and under a deep sense of our own unworthiness. And finally number four, they must be directed to a right end.

Our works cannot be accounted good except our chief and ultimate end in doing them be the glory of God. I'll close with a few questions for us to ponder this week. Do Your works line up with those works commanded by God in his holy word. And what is your motivation deep down when doing these good works? Where is your heart?

Are you truly serving God? Are you truly trying to bring glory to God? Or glory to yourself? Amen.