#6.9 DO GOOD WORKS FIT FOR REPENTANCE

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#6. HOW TO REPENT OF SINS INDEX
Introduction 6.9
#6.9 Do Good Works Fit for Repentance

Introduction 6.9

If you are a Christian who has struggled with sin in your Christian walk, making the same mistakes over and over again, then this study on how to repent is of the utmost importance to you. The more you become like Jesus, the less sin will be a problem in your life. This process of repentance will take you through that transformation - but be warned: it is no quick fix. True repentance is a slow ongoing process, dealing with each sin in your life as God reveals them to you. Total and utter destruction of each sin is what is required.
This bible study gives the ninth of nine steps to repentance, and teaches us that we must do good works fit for repentance to manifest our forgiveness. This is the last step in removing any sin from the heart and helps us to put on "the new man" (Ephesians 4:24) in us, which is the spirit of Christ: "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14), building us up in faith and love. A true repentance will break your spiritual chain and set you free. It will set in motion "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:2) which will set you free from the law of sin and death.

#6.9 Do Good Works fit for Repentance

PSALMS 34:14 (David)
14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

PSALMS 37:27 (David)
27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

ISAIAH 1:16-18
16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil;
17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

EZEKIEL 18:21-22
21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, and not die.
22 All his transgressions that he has committed, they shall not be mentioned to him; in his righteousness that he has done he shall live.

EZEKIEL 33:14-16
14 Again, when I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turn away from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
16 None of his sins that he has committed shall be mentioned to him: he has done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

EPHESIANS 4:28 (Paul)
28 Let him who stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands, the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him who needs.

Note: Is it enough for a man to stop doing what he knows to be wrong, without doing what is right, to have his sins forgiven during this life? Such a man would do nothing, and the scripture declares, "to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17). So the answer is no, and the above scriptures confirm it. We may have the forgiveness of sins by faith, because it is a promise, but as faith is "the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1), we still need to see the manifestation of it brought to pass. It is true that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), but reading a little further, it is also true that we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works, that God has before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). There are many scriptures that show that good works are a natural product of genuine saving faith:

(Matthew 5:16) "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works."
(2 Corinthians 9:8) "That you, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."
(1 Timothy 5:10) "Well reported of for good works."
(1 Timothy 6:17) "Command those who are rich in this world ... that they are rich in good works."
(2 Timothy 2:21) "He shall be ... prepared for every good work."
(2 Timothy 3:17) "That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished for all good works."
(Titus 2:7) "In all things showing yourself a pattern of good works."
(Titus 2:14) "A peculiar people, zealous of good works."
(Titus 3:8) "Be careful to maintain good works."
(James 2:17) "Faith, if it has not works is dead, being alone."

Jesus also gave command for us to do his works:

(Matthew 10:8) "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons."
(John 14:12) "He who believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also."
(Revelation 2:26) "He who overcomes, and keeps my works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations."

The conclusion is this: if a man has a genuine saving faith in Jesus Christ, his faith will produce good works in him, and it is useless boasting that he is justified by faith if he cannot show those good works, because "faith without works is dead" (James 2:26). A genuine repentance will produce a living faith, which can itself be recognized by the good works which it produces.

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