Question: Dear
Greg,
I think I am gaining a clearer understanding of God’s grace and how it
saves us without our help. Just one
more clarification. How would you
answer someone who points to Matthew 15 and tells you that “good works”
(visiting the sick, feeding the hungry and clothing the naked) is given as a
basis on which the sheep were given eternal life and the goats condemned
And what about the fact that one of the very fruits of the Spirit is
“self-control”, which by definition means the ability to exert control and
discipline over our actions? Does
this not suggest that God still allows/provides for human input and effort in
the whole salvation process?
David
Answer: Dear
David,
First, Matthew 25 (you must have this chapter in mind, rather than
Matthew 15). This is a parable of
separation—of the sheep and goats. These
two animals are used symbolically in Scripture, of course.
What does the Father say (vs. 34)? Come
you are blessed, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you.
None of this so far has to do with merits that a human has gained or
amassed.
1.
being blessed
2.
being given an inheritance (we know from other passages that this
inheritance
3.
the kingdom prepared FOR you (as opposed to a kingdom you have helped
Then, verse 35—“For”—this is not a casual statement.
That, is, because you did the following, therefore you will receive a
reward, but rather an explanation of the life that the “righteous”
endured/followed (verse 37)—righteous in the sense that the righteousness of
Christ was imputed, given to them.
The life of a disciple of Christ is one of sacrifice, of being a servant,
of laying down one’s life for others, of taking up one’s cross and following
Christ. None of these actions or
events causes one to earn salvation, but rather is a consequence of accepting
Christ. Christ clearly described
the life his followers could expect. That’s
exactly what is described in this catalogue.
And note the catalogue. Nothing
about how many times in a row people attended church, about how much money
someone gave to his church, about how many movies someone avoided, about dietary
laws they observed, about avoidance of alcohol, about etc., etc., etc.
Nothing.
What is it to be a follower of Christ, at least in this parable?
To feed the hungry, to provide water for the thirsty, to help strangers,
to clothe those who are “naked”, to visit the sick and those in prison.
There are, of course, spiritual parallels to these actions—the
similarity with Jesus’ mission statement in Luke 4:16-19 in striking.
These actions are not the basis of the salvation of the sheep—the basis
of their salvation is the blood of the Lamb.
These actions are the consequences, the fruit of their unreserved
acceptance of Jesus Christ.
Self-control? Of course God
does nothing in our lives without our yielding to him.
He does not force or insist. There
are two kinds of self-control. One,
which you define, is that self-control is possible through and by the flesh.
Many humans exercise incredible self-control.
Paul, when he wrote what we know as Galatians 5, was well aware of the
Stoics. He spoke in Colossians of those who exercised self-control
(see Colossians 2:20-23) and even placed the worship of the human will as the
enemy of the cross, which involved surrender to Christ.
In Christ,
Greg Albrecht