Chapter 3

THE EVIDENCE OF GOOD WORKS

Jesus came into the world to work in order that we believe. Because we believe in
response to His work, we work. No one can assume that he believes that Jesus is the
Christ and Son of God, therefore, unless he manifests his belief by working in response
to God’s grace through Jesus. In our relationship with God, work is always the evidence
of our belief. That was James’ proposition of James 2:14-26. In the Christian faith, no
one can claim belief without a life of good deeds. Let’s see if that was what was manifested
in the life of Jesus who gave us an example of behavior.
Evidential works give witness to the one from which the work originates. By
“evidential” I mean that the works are the proof of both origin and inner nature. The
works of Jesus gave evidence to His origin. The benevolent works He did gave evidence
to His nature, or character. This principle is true in reference to the Christian life.
Our works are evidence of the One from whom we come. We are sent forth from Jesus.
Our works are also the evidence of our nature. We are born again, and our new birth is
evidenced by the works we do.
A. Jesus gave evidence of His origin.
Jesus came down from an environment of the supernatural. He was not of this
world, and for this reason, incarnation was necessary in order to bring Him into the
environment of those He sought to save (Ph 2:5-8). Before the incarnation, Jesus was
spirit as God (Jn 4:24). He thus had to be incarnate into the flesh of man man in order
to be among those He created (Jn 1:1,14). However, in order to prove that He was
(This series of blogs compose a book that carries the title, “Justified By Works.” )

originally not of this world, evidence of His preexistence and Deity had to be given.
Jesus could not simply state that He was Deity unless there was evidence of the fact
from the origin from which He came. A claim to the fact of Deity, without evidence,
would only lead us to conclude that Jesus was simply a lunatic, a master deceiver.
Therefore, the evidence of His supernatural origin had to be something from the environment
from which He came. If He came from a heavenly environment, then we would
want from Him a taste of heaven. And thus, He brought the work of His native environment
into a world that was confined to physical laws. His miraculous works, therefore,
were not simply for benevolent purposes. They were evidences to confirm who He was,
and from where He came. Jesus’ miraculous work was necessary for us to believe who
He was.
Now keep in mind that the evidence of Jesus’ nature and origin was miraculous
simply because of who He was and from where He came. He was not ordinary in origin
as man. And thus, we would not expect the evidence of who He was to be ordinary. As
we journey through the principle that one’s works prove his origin and nature, we must
not write off the evidential nature of our works because they are not miraculous as
Jesus’ works. Jesus’ benevolent work was healing a crippled arm or leg. Our benevolent
work is to feed those who cannot feed themselves. We would not be so arrogant as
to seek to copy Jesus’ miraculous works. His works stand unique in the fact that He was
and is the only begotten Son of God, and as such, He had to prove through His works
that He was who He claimed to be (Jn 3;2). Nevertheless, the principle of evidential
good works stands true regardless of the nature of the works that are worked.
B. Light is manifested through work.
Jesus stated a principle in Matthew 5:16. “Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” In order
that His Father be glorified, Jesus had to do the work of His Father. He was the light of
the world because He did the work of the environment from which He came (Jn 8:12).
However, in order for us to see the light in Him, He had to manifest in an open miraculous
manner the light from which He came. That light was manifested in the very works
that He did.
The purpose of His works opens the door for understanding why it is necessary that
His disciples manifest good deeds in order for them to manifest the light that is in them.
They must manifest that light through works. No disciple of Jesus can say he has the
light unless others can see that light in his life. The nature of light is that it can be seen.

If it cannot, then there is no light. It is only darkness. And so, a “Christian” who claims
to be such without the light of good deeds is truly hypocritical. He has simply hijacked
the name without the evidence of good works that prove his claim
This is the inseparable relationship between who one claims to be Christian and the
light (good works) that manifests that he is a Christian. Jesus made a claim of Deity.
We make the claim of being Christian. He manifested the light of God through the
miraculous works He did (See 1 Jn 1:1-3). We manifest who we are by what we do, that
is, letting our light (works) shine before men. As we would certainly judge Jesus an
arrogant fake if He had manifested no miraculous works, so others will judge us arrogant
fakes if we do not manifest the light of Jesus in us through our good works.
C. Jesus came to do the work of God.
This brings us to the ministry of Jesus, to the work He had to accomplish. His
primary mission was to be the atoning sacrifice for man. However, in order for Him to
accomplish this mission, He had to prove to the world that He was who He said He was,
that is, the only begotten Son of God (Jn 3:16). And in order to prove this claim, He had
to do the works of the One who sent Him.
The primary book in the New Testament that was written with the theme of giving
us evidence that Jesus was the Christ and Son of God, is the book of John. The theme
of John’s witness to the deity of Jesus was the works that He did. John wrote that we
might believe that Jesus was the Christ and Son of God (Jn 20:30,31). In order to prove
his proposition, John focused on that which would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt
that Jesus did not originate from this earthly environment of physical laws. Jesus did
the work of God, and thus John recorded that which He did. And in doing so, he proved
that Jesus was the Christ and Son of God.
In order to identify the deity of Jesus, both Jesus and John used the word ergon
(work), the common word of the day that expressed something that one does which can
be witnessed by others. Jesus was willing to rest His case on the fact that the work
(ergon) that He did would prove that He was from God. In one of His initial confrontations
with the religious leaders concerning the works He did, Jesus said, “But I have
greater witness than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to
accomplish – the very works that I do – bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent
Me” (Jn 5:36).
John the Baptist certainly did a great work. However, he worked no miracles. The
fact that Jesus did miraculous work gave witness to the fact that He was from God.

Jesus’ miracles, therefore, were not worked in order to satisfy the idle curiosity of men,
but to confirm that He came from the Father. The witness of the works was that He
came from the Father.
As Jesus had instructed the righteous to let their good works shine before unbelievers
(Mt 5:16), so did He. It was only natural that Jesus work in order that the Father in
heaven be glorified. And thus, we learn the true purpose for good works. Jesus accused
the religious leaders, “But all their works they do to be seen by men” (Mt 23:5).
There is a difference in working in order to be seen by men and working in order to
give glory to God. Good works are necessary to manifest our origin. But good works
are not for the purpose of bringing glory to ourselves, or even the church, since we are
the church. We let our light shine (good works) in order that the Father be glorified as
Jesus worked in order to give glory to the Father. Works that are done out of a motive
for self-recognition lose their shine.
D. The disciples realized that they must work.
The disciples of Jesus realized soon into Jesus’ ministry that doing the work of God
was necessary. “What shall we do,” they asked Jesus, “so that we might work the
works of God?” (Jn 6:28). Every disciple of Jesus must ask this question. Those who
do not, have no right to plagiarize the name “Christian.” How can one claim to be of
Christ when he or she does not want to do the work of God?
Jesus answered the disciples’ question by stating the purpose of all good works.
“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent” (Jn 6:29).
Belief is the foundation upon which good works are motivated. God worked through
Jesus in order to produce a belief in us that would move us to do good works. This
establishes the reason why Jesus came to do the work of God. The purpose of His work
was salvational in order to produce a community of believers who would go to work for
Him. He came to lay the foundation upon which all our good works come forth.
John wrote that Jesus worked that we might believe that He is the Christ and Son of
God (Jn 20:30,31). When John wrote the apologetical words of John 20:30,31, he
meant more than mental ascent, more than intellectual knowledge and understanding
that Jesus was the Christ and Son of God. Our belief that Jesus is the Christ and Son
of God must move us to work the work of God. The gospel according to John is
written, therefore, to produce good works, for through good works we manifest our
belief in Jesus as the Christ and Son of God. This is the work of God, that we work
because of our belief.

E. Belief is manifested by work.
The example of work that Jesus did was for our belief. His work was apologetical
(evidential), and in being such, His works have become the foundation of our faith to
believe who He said He was.
Jesus was in Jerusalem during one of the Jewish feasts of Dedication. In John 10, it
is recorded that some Jews came to Him in order to confront Him concerning who He
was. They complained, “How long will You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell
us plainly” (Jn 10:24). The fact was that Jesus had already “told” them who He was.
But they were not listening to how He “told” them. He answered their complaint, “I
told you and you did not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear
witness of Me” (Jn 10:25). His “telling” was not in words, but in works. And so it
always is. “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by
my works” (Js 2:18). Good works are always the evidence of what God demands in
order to prove our faith. There are no shortcuts to prove our faith. There are no words,
no good intentions, no statements made. Belief in Jesus is always manifested through
good works in our lives.
No church business meeting will ever prove the faith of those who attend. Only
when disciples report back concerning what they have done will the true disciples of the
group be identified. It is for this reason that “faithfulness” in attendance to church
meetings can never be the evidence of discipleship. In order to identify ourselves as
disciples, people must see what we do, not our presence alone. By your fruits I will
know you. By your light I will know that you are a disciple. If neither of us manifest
any good works, then we cannot identify one another as disciples of Jesus.
It is because of the preceding fact that one of the greatest theological errors of the
centuries was constructed. That error is the theology that attendance to church assemblies
manifests “faithfulness.” It is believed that as long as one’s name is checked off
the “regular” assembly chart, he or she can be considered “faithful.” We have thus
legally soothed our consciences by our perfect attendance records. We have pacified the
lazy by allowing them to idly sit on benches and pews in order to listen to our postulations
from pulpits.
But consider again the purpose of Jesus’ works. His miraculous works not only told
the Jews who He was, the works also told them of the One the works glorified. He came
to do the works of the Father, and by doing such, the Father was glorified. It is the same
with the disciple. We go forth in our communities in order to let our light shine. But
our light (good works) that originates from Jesus gives glory to our Father. Attendance
gives no glory to God. Attendance gives us the glory, for everyone considers us faithful
when we show up. But if perfect attendance is all that we have to show for our faith,
then how is God going to be glorified by our good works?
The Jews did not like Jesus’ answer in John 10 since they rightly concluded what He
was saying. Because of His works, they understood His claim that He came from the
Father. They subsequently “took up stones again to stone Him” (Jn 10:31). And should
any disciple of Jesus expect anything less? The very behavior that proves the origin of
the disciple will bring on the persecution of those who do not like the light that shines
from them (Mt 5:10-12). If there is no persecution in a world of darkness, then we must
conclude that our works are not sufficient to prove who we are. In fact, if there are no
stones thrown our way, then there are no works to prove who we are.
Instead of backing down from the Jews’ threat, Jesus reminded them again, “Many
good works I have showed you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone
Me?” (Jn 10:32). The Jews clearly understood what Jesus was claiming through His
miraculous works. They understood that He was claiming to be from God. They thus
answered Jesus, “For a good work we do not stone You. But for blasphemy, and because
You, being a man, make Yourself God” (Jn 10:33). They made the right conclusion.
Jesus did make Himself God because He worked the works of Him who sent Him.
He was willing to base His case on the fact and truth of what He did. “If I do not do the
works of My Father,” He said, “do not believe Me” (Jn 10:37).
His point was that we must believe in Him because we believe in what He did. If He
had not done the works of the Father, then He was just another good teacher, and no
more than that. On the other hand, if He truly did what John recorded that He did, then
everything changes. Jesus said to the Jews, “But if I do them [the works], though you do
not believe Me, believe the works so that you may know and understand that the
Father is in Me and I in Him” (Jn 10:38). And herein is the apologetic of Jesus’ good
works. His works identified Him to be from God.
There is also apologetical evidence in the good works of the disciple of Jesus. Our
good works identify us to be from Him because we believe He is from God. When glory
is given to God for what we do, then our light shines for God. The point is that if
there is no shining through good works, then there is no evidence that we are from
God. As good works in the name of Jesus give evidence that one is a Christian, the lack
of the same proves that one is not a Christian. Since Jesus would not expect us to
believe who He was without the good works from the Father, then certainly we must
not expect others to believe that we are Christians if there are no good works to
prove our case.

It would take only one valid work to ignite the flame of belief in Jesus. Jesus said,
“I have done one work and you all marvel” (Jn 7:21). Well, yes. John records only
seven of Jesus’ miracles, and apologizes that books could have been written of the many
works that He did (Jn 21:25). But if it would take only one miracle to prove His
sonship, we would assume that His works would be of the nature of His deity. And this
is John’s point in John 21:25. His life was a life of the miraculous. “And Jesus went
about all Galilee … healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the
people” (Mt 4:23). What else would we expect from the Son of God? And what else
would others expect of us? If we claim to be sons of God by faith, then certainly we
must go about with all good works.
E. Disciples must finish their course of work.
There is urgency about moving into action, about getting the job done. Jesus sought
to emphasize this point with the disciples during His ministry with them. “We must
work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. The night is coming when no one
can work” (Jn 9:4). When it comes to doing the work of God there is something urgent
about getting the job done. Those who truly believe realize this. A truly zealous disciple
will always be driven by the thinking that “time is momentary.” We are but a
vapor that appears for a moment, and then vanishes away (Js 1:11). And for this reason,
the truly grateful to God always feel that they do not have enough time to thank God
through good works for their salvation.
At the conclusion of the ministry of Jesus, and while in His final days in Jerusalem,
Jesus made some necessary final statements to His disciples. In a personal conversation
with the twelve, He said, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in
Me? The words that I speak to you I speak not from Myself. But the Father who dwells
in Me, He does the works” (Jn 14:10). It was as if Jesus wanted to reassure them
before they endured the tremendous test of their faith they were about to experience
during His trials and crucifixion. He exhorted them to believe. However, in the trials
that they were about to experience, He wanted them to focus on the works that He had
done in their presence to prove that the Father was in Him. “Believe Me that I am in the
Father and the Father in me. Otherwise, believe Me for the very works themselves” (Jn
14:11). Their belief must continue because they had the empirical evidence of personally
experiencing the works. It would be that belief, therefore, that would present the
opportunity for them to do greater works. Their works would be greater in that they
would do more works. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that
I do he will do also. And greater works than these he will do, because I go to My
Father” (Jn 14:12). Jesus did His works during a brief ministry on earth. They had
many years to come in their ministries during which they could glorify the Father
through works.
Jesus gave unbelievers the best shot that could ever be given. He did the works of
the Father. He gave glory to the Father. And because no one of His immediate audiences
could thus plead ignorance, they were without excuse. “If I had not done among
them the works that no one else did, they would have no sin. But now they have both
seen and hated both Me and My Father” (Jn 15:24). He had clearly manifested who He
was. His claim was that His works were sufficient for people to believe on Him. And
thus Jesus could finalize His ministry by having accomplished all the work that He was
destined to do. “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work that You
gave Me to do” (Jn 17:4).
What is interesting about Jesus’ statement of John 17:4 is the past tense that He used
in reference to His work. “I have finished the work ….” This statement was made
before the atoning work of the cross. The statement, therefore, must refer to the work
of His ministry. His ministry work – if John 20:30,31 is an explanation of the evidential
purpose of His work – was to work in order to evidence the fact that He was the Christ
and Son of God. His resurrection was a declaration that He was the Son of God. Paul
wrote that He was “declared to be the Son of God … by the resurrection” (Rm 1:4).
Paul did not say that He was proved to be the Son of God by the resurrection. We must
conclude with John that His works were sufficient evidence of His sonship. We must
also conclude with Paul that His resurrection was the declaration of the fact of His
sonship. By the time of the resurrection, Jesus had already worked the work of the
Father to prove His sonship.
I think we can apply the same principle in identifying Christians. The Christian’s
good works are a declaration of who he is, that he is a son of God. He is certainly a son
of God by obedience to the gospel. However, the works after obedience to the gospel
are a declaration of the fact. This is the principle behind Jesus’ statement of Matthew
7:17-20.
Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a bad tree brings forth
bad fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bring
forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down
and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.
Christians are the good trees. “Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.” I
think Jesus’ point is clear. The only way I can know that you are a disciple is by your
good fruit. For those who wear the name “Christian,” but have not the fruit, are really
not who they say they are.
I understand that the historical context of Matthew 7 is the ministry of Jesus to the
Jewish nation in view of the A.D. 70 conclusion of that nation. The bad trees would all
be removed in the destruction of national Israel in A.D. 70. But if A.D. 70 is any
illustration of the final judgment, all fruitless trees will be removed. There is no hope
for a fruitless disciple.
Unbelievers will often bring persecution against the disciples of Jesus because of the
disciples’ continuous witness in their presence of the good works that prove that Jesus is
their king. A disciple may be silenced in speaking the name of Jesus in his community.
However, good works keep preaching even though one may not be able to speak one
word of the gospel. Could this be the background of Peter’s statement in 1 Peter 3:15?
“But sanctify Christ as Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give a defense
to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and
fear.”
In a hostile environment of unbelievers one may not be able to speak. But unbelievers
will rarely stop one from doing good works. And if the curiosity of the unbeliever is
aroused, then there can be the opportunity to explain the origin of the light that is
shining from the working disciple. Our problem may be that no one is asking concerning
the hope that is in us. They are not asking because there is no work that stimulates
the questions. If no one has ever asked you concerning the hope that is in you, then I
would certainly be alerted to the fact that no light is shining through any good works.
Would it be possible for each one of us to lay down his or her head on the pillow of
death and say that we finished the work that God has given each of us to do? Our belief
must move us to work the work of God until death terminates our labor in the vineyard.
Can we say at the final hour of our life that we gave it our best shot? Can we say, “I
have fought the good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith” (2 Tm
4:7)?

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