“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!”–Psalm 90:17
My Beloved Ones in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Perhaps you were just a bit surprised (maybe alarmed!) yesterday in worship by the words of the Athanasian Creed which we confessed together at the beginning of our service. This ancient Creed of the early Christian Church (produced in the late fifth century AD) is largely known and appreciated for its language setting forth the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity, particularly as it relates to the Person of Christ. But what likely took you off guard was the line about those who shall escape God’s judgment and be admitted to heaven:
“And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.”
On first glance, what the Creed seems to be suggesting is that on the Day of Judgment, it shall be our good works which bring us into the eternal presence of God in heaven. And if this is the case, then why have true and faithful New Testament Churches used this Creed in Lord’s Day worship for the last fifteen-hundred years? After all, isn’t this the exact opposite of what we believe about our works?
Well, let me first say that all of the Creeds used by the Church through the centuries (the Apostles’, Nicene, Chalcedonian, and Athanasian) are summaries of what Scripture teaches. No Creed says everything that can be said about any Biblical or theological topic. They were produced to be accompanied by preaching and exposition, as well as to serve as guides for pastors as they bring instruction to their flocks from the pages of Scripture.
But with regard to this Creed and its statements about good works, we need to remember something that Jesus once said. In Matthew 25, our Lord teaches that on the Day of His return, at the Last Judgment, it is only those who are “righteous” who will gain entrance into “eternal life” (v. 46). These righteous ones, as Jesus makes clear, have done the works that God requires (vv. 31-40). However, those who have not performed these works, the unrighteous, shall be “cursed” (v. 41) and cast into “eternal fire” (vv. 41) and “eternal punishment” (v. 46).
So, you can see that the Athanasian Creed has, indeed, faithfully preserved the very language of our Lord Jesus.
As we ponder these words from the Creed, then, we should also consider what our Lord’s brother James wrote concerning this same subject:
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14).
So what’s going on here, not only with the Creed, but with Jesus and His brother?
The answer is that our Lord (and James) was being true to the eternal plan of salvation. You see, that plan has always been ‘salvation by works.’ Now, this is certainly a shocking thing to assert, but if you think about it you’ll see what is intended by such a claim.
The requirement for entrance in to eternal life is perfect righteousness. Or we might say, it is the perfect and perpetual performance of good works that rise to the standard of God’s own spotless holiness. All that one needs to do in order to be saved is obey God’s Law with unspoiled purity at every point! Of course, this makes it certain that there will only be one human who is in heaven, our Lord Jesus Himself!
Yet, as we read the Epistles the fuller picture comes into view. Most notably it is Paul who sets forth the doctrine of justification by faith (see Romans 4-5 especially). What he tells us is that we sinners are saved by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in the perfect works and righteousness of Christ alone. We are, then, saved by works, but the works which save us are those performed by Christ! They become ours only by His grace through faith in Him.
So, when Jesus says in Matthew 25 that only those righteous ones who do such good works will inherit eternal life, He means that it is only sinners like you and me, who have no righteousness or good works to offer the Father, but who trust in the good works and righteousness of His Son, who shall be saved! On the Day of Judgment, all of Christ’s righteousness will count for me and for you! We know this is the fact because the authorized interpreters of Jesus (and of the Old Testament too!), the Apostles who penned the New Testament Epistles, tell us so.
All of this brings us around to our encouragement for this new Monday.
Psalm 90:17 is telling us that it is our gracious and loving Father, the One who has saved us and who has empowered us by His Spirit, who establishes the work of our hands, and He does so by His “favor,” or grace. This is an Old Testament way of saying what Paul wrote to the Philippians:
“for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).
The justifying grace that has saved us is a grace that also slowly but surely enables us to do the works that bring pleasure and glory to our Father. These works do not save, for that has been fully accomplished in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But these works of ours, that the Father receives as if Christ has performed them, are the blessed evidence that we have been favored and forever changed by His redeeming mercy and love. Each day, as we depend upon the strength that He supplies through the Spirit, He establishes our works of love and service (Romans 8:4). We never serve Him in the strength of our flesh, but only in the power of His resurrection!
Take courage! The Father is at work in you today! He has bestowed His favor upon you, and is establishing the work of your feeble and tired hands! Your works of service, which are yet stained with sin, are fully accepted by Him in Christ! He will use you for His glory! He will enable you to serve Him with both zeal and faithfulness! And He will always be pleased with you as He views your life through the lens of Christ’s beauty and perfection!
Saved by works indeed!
I love you all so dearly!
Mike
PS: Next up Psalm 95