Cain and Abel both did "good works," but to God, Cain's works were displeasing, and Abel's works were pleasing. What made the difference? According to the Apostle John, Cain simply had corrupt motives, coming out of his own sinfulness, whereas Abel was responding in love to God's word of grace. One was accepting God's word of grace whereas the other was rejecting that word of grace for his own independent action and selfish initiative.
There are only two ways to do works for God in life, by responding to God's word of grace or by competing with God's virtue by trying to establish our own virtue independent of God. We can be like Cain and try to do good for God apart from God's help, or we can be like Abel, working with God to exercise God's virtues.
This is not a battle over whether people can do "good works" or not. We can all do good works, having been made in the image of God. We can respond to God's word of grace or we can try to compete with it by trying to establish our own virtues.
Nothing in the Bible condemns human works unless it it referring to works that are done to establish human righteousness apart from God's grace. Paul argued against the ability to earn anything with God apart from God's grace. But neither does he deny that people can respond to God's word of grace and obey Him by doing good works.
We need to be clear on this semantics difficulty over "works." The Bible does not prohibit Man from doing "good works." He simply prohibits us from doing them apart from His word of grace. It is in His outreach to us that we can do good. It is His word that empowers us. When He commands us, then we may do it. When He reveals His ways to us we may comply with them.
The key is in our relationship with God. We must respond to His Word, because He does reach out to us, even though we're fallen people. His word of grace is here to enable us to do good works, to please him, and to enter into His Son for Salvation.
There are only two ways to do works for God in life, by responding to God's word of grace or by competing with God's virtue by trying to establish our own virtue independent of God. We can be like Cain and try to do good for God apart from God's help, or we can be like Abel, working with God to exercise God's virtues.
This is not a battle over whether people can do "good works" or not. We can all do good works, having been made in the image of God. We can respond to God's word of grace or we can try to compete with it by trying to establish our own virtues.
Nothing in the Bible condemns human works unless it it referring to works that are done to establish human righteousness apart from God's grace. Paul argued against the ability to earn anything with God apart from God's grace. But neither does he deny that people can respond to God's word of grace and obey Him by doing good works.
We need to be clear on this semantics difficulty over "works." The Bible does not prohibit Man from doing "good works." He simply prohibits us from doing them apart from His word of grace. It is in His outreach to us that we can do good. It is His word that empowers us. When He commands us, then we may do it. When He reveals His ways to us we may comply with them.
The key is in our relationship with God. We must respond to His Word, because He does reach out to us, even though we're fallen people. His word of grace is here to enable us to do good works, to please him, and to enter into His Son for Salvation.
