SERMON 146: DO GOOD WORKS TAKE AWAY YOUR SINS?
Germaine Charles Lockwood

Do your good works take away the sins that you have done? 

Sins are against God, against His law, against His righteousness, against His justice. We can read the Bible and learn about sin. God gave His law to Israel about 3,400 years ago. The law that God gave to Israel teaches us about sin. You can read the first five books of the Bible. Under the law, there are sins that required the penalty of death. The wages of sin is death. Blood sacrifices were required. Life is in the blood.

You deserve to die for your sins. There are no blood sacrifices in the Jerusalem temple for your sins. The day of atonement does not now have a sacrifice of atonement for your sins. However, in the Bible, in the book of Isaiah, God foretold that His servant Messiah would die for our sins. This is in Isaiah, chapter 53. Yes, Messiah is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Understand that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 10:22. The law that God gave to Israel looked forward to the coming of Messiah when He would be an offering for our sins. You can know that Mashiach Yeshua, Messiah Jesus died one time for all.

His blood was given for the forgiveness of our sins. He is the only sacrifice for your sins. Listen to:

Hebrews 10:3, 4: But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. Hebrews 10:4.

The sacrifices under the law looked forward to the coming of Messiah. In those sacrifices there was a reminder of sins every year. But Messiah offered Himself one time for all in the Most Holy Place having obtained eternal redemption for us. 

Can good works take away your sins? No. You deserve to die for your sins. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. But the good news is that Messiah Jesus took our sins upon Himself. He became sin for us. Listen to:

2 Corinthians 5:21: For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21.

 Can your good works take away your sins? No. How can they? There is no way that your good works can take away your sins. Listen to:

Psalm 53:2, 3: God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. Every one of them has turned aside; They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one. Psalm 53:2, 3.

Yes, we each know that we have sinned and need the forgiveness of sins in Messiah,
in His blood which was shed for us. We read in:

Ephesians 2:8, 9: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Eph. 2:8, 9.

The word of God clearly states that we are not saved from sin by our good works. We cannot earn the forgiveness of our sins, salvation from sin. It is a free gift of God, by grace. We deserve eternal punishment for our sins, but God offers us this great gift of the forgiveness of sin in Messiah Jesus who died for us. Listen to:

Titus 3:4-7: But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7.

We have learned that we do earn the forgiveness of our sins by our good works.
But how do we receive this free gift of salvation from sin in Messiah, in Christ? Listen to:

Romans 3:23-25: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation by His blood, through faith,. . . Romans 3:23-25.

Yes, redemption is in Messiah Jesus, through faith. We are saved from sin in Christ
through faith. But how does the person who has faith come into Messiah, into His death? It is written in:

Romans 6:3: Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized in Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Romans 6:3.

Yes, through faith you need to be baptized, immersed in water into Christ, into His death. Listen also to:

Galatians 3:26, 27: For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:26, 27.

Yes, you can become a child of God through faith in Messiah when you are baptized into Messiah. Jesus said in:

Mark 16:16: He who believes and is baptized will be saved; . . . Mark 16:16.

You can come to believe in Jesus the Messiah by reading the first four books of the New Covenant, especially the Gospel of John. When you believe in Messiah Jesus then you can be baptized into Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. Baptism is not something that you do, but rather something that is done to you. A Christian will immerse you under the water, bury you in the water and then raise you up out of the water to a new life in Messiah Jesus. This is done in the name of the Father, and of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19. Then you will need to learn to observe the commandments that Jesus commanded the apostles. Matthew 28:20. Jesus said in:

Matthew 7:21: Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ Shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Matthew 7:21.

Yes, God wants us to do His will. We are to do the commandments of Jesus. You do not earn the forgiveness of sins by good works, but it is necessary for you to do the will of God, to obey the commandments of Messiah Jesus.

Let us now consider the need for good works in the life of a Christian. Listen to:

Ephesians 2:10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10.

Yes, the Christian is created in Messiah Jesus for good works. Notice also:

Titus 3:8: This is a faithful saying, these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. Titus 3:8.

Yes, Christians should be careful to maintain good works. We are to have ”faith working through love.” Galatians 5:6. 
 
The word of God teaches Christians that faith without works is dead. This is stated 
three times in James, chapter 2. It is written in:

James 2:17: Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. James 2:17.

And:

James 2:20: But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? James 2:20. 

And also James 2:26. So then, in living the Christian life, faith and good works go together. A dead faith will not save. The word of God does not teach faith only. Christians are to live fruitful lives.

Jesus taught in John chapter 15 that the unfruitful Christian will be burned liked a dried branch. Read also Matthew chapter 25. Some Christians like the foolish virgins will be locked out of the wedding feast. Some Christians, like the unprofitable servant, will be cast into the outer darkness. Some Christians who do not help the hungry, the naked, the sick, those in prison, will go away into everlasting punishment. Matthew 25:46. 

Yes, good works are essential for Christians. But a person does not earn the forgiveness of sins by good works. Messiah Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures. He was buried. He rose the third day according to the scriptures. His blood was given for the forgiveness of our sins. You can receive this free gift of God’s grace through faith, repenting of your sins and being buried with Messiah Jesus in the waters of baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Listen to:

Acts 2:38: Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38.

Amen!