I Timothy 1:15

Then Jesus Christ appointed to all Christians and called them to action in His work!  Mark 13:34, 'For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.'

 

In this writing, I would like to impress upon each reader the thought of works.  I do not think it would take very much explanation to convince anyone that Christians evidently continue losing their victory and backslide when they cease working for the Lord.

 

It is true that Jesus Christ died to save sinners, and to be saved is a wonderful and glorious thing, but the emphasis is put upon the Christian who endures to the end.  It is there that the reward is given for being a Christian.  It is based upon our works.

 

The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5, verse 16 says, 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'  This clearly points out without an argument that when the Bible speaks of letting your light shine, it is speaking of good works.  Some people have misunderstood what the light of the gospel consists of and it is mostly believed that it is being saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost, or some method of deliverance or divine healing.  All of these are wonderful and good and are necessary, but God is calling Christians to action, to work in helping to fulfill the Bible, the Word of God, by supporting the work and activity of the fulfillment of prophecy.

 

Let me quote Paul's version of characters in action from Colossians 1:25, 'Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God...'  It is an undisputable fact that Christians are commanded to see to it that the Word of God is fulfilled.

 

I have heard some Christians say in their testimony, 'I don't care whether or not anybody knows and sees what I do, for all I want to do is please the Lord.'  Now, if he has an attitude that he only wants to please the Lord, he will have to change his testimony, for the purpose of a Christian is to let his light so shine before men that they may see his good works.  It is impossible to let your light shine without having good works in the fulfillment of the Word of God.  The Scripture supports doing this before men that they may see our good works.  It is for this purpose that I do all that I do for God.

 

Sometimes I am criticized for my activities of church work, such as traveling and spreading the Gospel by means of literature, the Highway Gospel Caravan, Ezekiel's Cherubims, the method of boats, and many other channels of this type, but these same critics will use radio and television themselves.  This proves that they are without understanding, as those who just believe that having salvation is sufficient for good works.

 

'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.'  Then, let us use the text Scripture, 'For the Son of man...gave...to every man his work...'  There is a great work to be done in this world, and it is this work that I am endeavoring to do regardless of the cost and the scoffers' criticism.  Jesus made it plain that the gospel must first be published among all nations.  I am well aware that there are many ways to publish, but I wonder who has thought of the climax of Jonah's way of publishing and other great accomplishments and achievements of the prophets of old, as well as the members of the Early Church?  I think a close study by anyone will clearly point out that they received their assistance after their works had become so outstanding as to attract the attention of men, and that they were noised abroad, and their sound went into all the earth as a result of letting their light be seen before men.

 

In the climax of this short subject, I would like to say that I am overjoyed in the fact that we have just such a program going on in The Church of God in a big way, but my aims are to make it become greater and greater, until the world has been attracted by our good works.  The move that has been made this year throughout the Church by our ministers and members certainly proves my statement and thought that I am looking for greater and greater success the further we go.  Let us work, work, work, for the time is short, and the work must by all means be done in order to be ready for the coming of Jesus.

 

 

* Article Written By:  The Late Grady R. Kent, St. John II, Chief Bishop of The Church of God, 1957-1964. This sermon was taken from The Vision Speaks, Volume 6 : Number39 : September 1963.

All grammatical and typographical errors have been corrected except for direct quotations from the Author.  Thought content of said article has not been changed.