works – Page 2

930. Jesus: “You Will Know Them by Their Fruits” (False Prophets)

October 1, 2023 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

A Bible verse frequently quoted is found in Matthew 7:16 and also in 7:20 .... "You will know them by their fruits." This is usually referenced by people with the assumption that you will know how to identify other true believers—by what they do and through their behavior. But the context shows us Jesus is explaining how to recognize false prophets. They will do many works outwardly to be seen by others—sometimes miraculous things—but it all revolves around their fruits. In other words, the fruits are mentioned in the plural, meaning their works. It's a sandy foundation, not one built upon a solid rock of trusting in Christ for righteousness. As branches who are plugged into the vine, we have become identified as good trees capable of bearing the "fruit" (singular) that the Holy Spirit will eagerly produce through us apart from a religious system of law and works. But it's not our "fruits" ... it's all about His fruit that we bear.

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924. God’s Grace Working Through Us Vs. Religious Rules

August 20, 2023 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

We like to tell people salvation is free, but then somewhere along the way—maybe right away—we feel the need to begin rolling out the rules to help make sure the new converts don't wander from what we believe to be the truth. This approach may actually hinder believers in Christ from experiencing the fullness of God in their lives.

It becomes a gospel of "doing" in order to become something that children of God think they need to work at in order to reach a higher level of spirituality or to make themselves more acceptable to God. Not to mention, the "rules" vary significantly from one corner church to the next. Maybe we should begin to trust Christ (who abides in us) to complete the work He began in each of us by His grace.

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919. Sharing the Good News (Gift) Without the Bad News (Works)

July 16, 2023 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

When it comes to sharing the good news of Jesus, many have followed a "formula" that features a pattern of sharing bad news first. This is usually based on a form of legalism ... telling each individual they have broken God's law. However, it was a law they were never under, and it came to an end over 2,000 years ago.

There is a better option of pointing people to the One who gives eternal life other than using an obsolete law of works. By pointing out that people need to be saved because of bad works, then they often assume a mindset that works are needed to maintain their approved position with God by having good works that will outweigh their bad. The better choice is to communicate the love of God as demonstrated through what Jesus did on behalf of everyone ... which brought a New Covenant based upon believing—and not good and bad works.

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915. “The Whole Counsel of God”

June 11, 2023 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

It was recorded once in the book of Acts that Paul used the phrase "the whole counsel of God." It's a quote that religious people like to use as a weapon of sorts to stress there is more to the gospel than grace. In other words, when people get hyper about grace, legalists will think it results in an unhealthy obsession that should include a balance of other things such as a measure of law and works, resulting in guilt and then trying to do things to make ourselves more acceptable to God.

Of course, those on the works treadmill can never really spell out exactly what the whole counsel of God is or how it should be defined apart from grace. Those who do will only be able to give you an opinion and guesswork based on a very limited perspective and likely an inaccurate one.

Right before Paul mentioned this phrase, he described what it was that the whole counsel of God revolves around, and the ministry he received from which he was called to testify about. Spoiler alert: It was the gospel of the grace of God.

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913. How Works Fit Into the Message of Grace

May 28, 2023 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

The majority of us who chose to believe in Jesus were encouraged within religious circles to work at making ourselves better, more holy, more righteous, more sanctified ... and the list goes on. We've gotten it backwards with that approach. The better way is to grow in the knowledge of God with the understanding that He has already declared us to be all of these things and more.

So instead of trying to work at becoming what we think we are not, we realize God has already equipped the believer in Christ with all things that pertain to life and godliness. This is our starting point as we run this race and it's called the finish line. Growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus will completely change our perspective and motivation in many ways—including works.

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864. “Be Holy.” But How?

June 19, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

If the goal is to be holy, how does this occur? Is it attained by what we do? Works? Conduct? Would one even need be considered saved and a believer in Christ to accomplish an acceptable level of good behavior that could be considered holy … at least in the eyes of the religious community? And if it requires all of our conduct to be perfect, righteous and holy, who decides what is and isn’t defined as sufficient?

You can probably already see how muddy the waters can get when it comes to a works-based attempt at gaining favor with God. There is no assurance in any of it. This week, we look at some words from the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter regarding the gift of God’s righteousness and holiness through an inheritance.

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843. The One and Only True Promise Keeper

January 23, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

There are thousands of works-based religions which will put an emphasis on people making promises to God and trying hard to keep them. This turns the gospel inside-out, because the good news is not based upon our good actions or our sorrows for sins. The New Covenant is based upon God’s promise to us. A promise that will never be broken by God … and a covenant that can never be broken by us.

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840. Buyer Beware: The Quid Pro Quo of Religious Forgiveness

January 2, 2022 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

A Bible verse often quoted is when Jesus told His Jewish disciples that if they did not forgive others for their sins, neither would God forgive them for their sins. In context, we see that Jesus wasn’t speaking to all future believers, but rather to people who were trapped within an old (obsolete) covenant which had certain requirements related to works rather than grace. The gospel within a new and better covenant is not based on a quid pro quo — “you do this, and God will do the same for you.” This would be the opposite of the great exchange and would not be good news to the hearers.

The Apostle Paul said something very different to believers in Christ compared to what Jesus stated. Once we realize and understand the magnitude of God already freely forgiving us through the blood of Jesus … we can now forgive others in a way that people under the law would have been unable to do. The difference between what Jesus said compared to Paul is found within two covenants that are not alike. The Old was still in place before the cross, but everything changed after that.

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839. Forgiven and Delivered From the Power of Darkness

December 26, 2021 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

In spite of whatever struggles and challenges come our way within this fallen world, God has declared us forgiven and that we have been delivered from the power of darkness. God has transferred us into His kingdom, it’s His blood that resulted in forgiveness, redemption, and has brought us peace.

As we begin to understand that the knowledge of His will was to bring all of these good things to us as an inheritance, we can live within the light of Jesus Christ where the fruit of God abounds. His strength in us is what we reply upon, not our willpower. It’s all about Christ in us—the mystery revealed.

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838. Forgiven, Not Condemned – By the Riches of His Grace

December 19, 2021 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

As believers in Christ, there is no condemnation at all, unlike there was for Jewish people who were in a works-based covenant which depended on their (failed) attempts at commandment-keeping. They were stuck in a state of condemnation within a ministry unable to provide life or righteousness. Out of 613 commands within the old law, Paul gave an example from the Ten that God engraved … and how he ended up coveting more when trying to live by the rule of “you shall not covet.” That’s not good news.

Long before the law, Adam was only given one (1) command … and failed to keep it. Paul explained it’s because we’re “In Him” that we have redemption, and it’s through His blood we have an eternal forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Everything about this gospel is based on the work of Jesus. Don’t allow religion to plant doubt and fear by making it about you.

During the podcast we made mention of a previous podcast entitled, "How Can I Know That God Has Forgiven Me?" That was episode 820, and you can listen to it here.

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837. Our Works Are Not Our Own – We Have Nothing to Boast About

December 12, 2021 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

You’ll catch a few headlines about grace through faith where religion rules, but far too often the focus becomes about our works and what we do to try and get closer to God, increase a fleshly morality, etc. We continue this week on the subject of faith compared to works … and how Paul pointed out on more than one occasion in his writings that we who are in Christ have nothing to boast within ourselves. Nada. Zero.

The good works that flow through us are because we’re in Him … and He is in us. The Spirit of God produces His fruit. We are His workmanship. It’s a resting place where Jesus is our peace, having freed the world from a ministry of impossible commandments and ordinances that were preventing people from attaining right-standing with God.

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836. Saved by Grace Through Faith – Not of Works

December 5, 2021 by Mike Kapler and Joel Brueseke

We’re jumping into Ephesians this week and landing on a few popular verses in the 2nd chapter. Paul is revealing the good news of salvation which comes by grace through faith, apart from works. It’s right there in black and white, but the legal eagles will still try and convince the hearers that there is a requirement of self-effort to maintain or secure one’s salvation. They would prefer to have you believe the riches of God’s grace is simply too good to be true.

We look at the passage in context and discuss more about the faith vs. works factor when it comes to our salvation and justification. Bottom line? There is nothing for anyone to boast about.