 | Pastor Dave grew up in northern New Jersey in a very diverse cultural area. He attended Central College in Pella, Iowa received a BA in sociology and psychology. He was an offensive guard for their NCAA Div III National Championship team in 1974. In speaking for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he sensed a call to full time ministry. Meeting is future wife Sandy at Central, went to Michigan to finish her college while Dave started Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Dave married Sandy in 77 and completed his Masters of Divinity degree in 78. Pastor Dave’s first church was in Fort Lee, New Jersey, home of the George Washington Bridge. Their three children were born there and he also served as a Police and Fire Chaplain for the city. In February 1991, they came to Wichita to start Harvest Community Church. In 2006, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Covenant Theological (Presbyterian) Seminary in St Louis. During that year he gained a daughter-in-law with now 2 grandsons of 3 years and 6 months old. Besides Pastoring at HCC for the past 20 years, he has been Director of the SCSD & WPD Police Chaplains for 11.
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Religion
2008-04-01 12:10:00
Are these Bible passages contradictory?
Question: In several passages of the New Testament (e.g. Matthew 16:27 and Romans 2:6), it is stated that man is justified by his works, and they should shine like a light before men. Yet, in other passages (e.g. Ephesians 2:8), it is stated that salvation is through faith and grace, not by works. In the Gospel (Matthew 6) Jesus advises to keep our good works secret. Is the Bible contradictory in this regard?
Answer: Reading scripture is a wonderful and enriching experience but it needs to be done in two stages. In order to get the abundance of life that God wants us to get and experience, we have to try to understand it in the context it was given. Then apply it to our situation.
The first verse in Matthew 5:16 is in the context of what is familiarly called, “The Sermon on the Mount.” In verses 1 & 2, Jesus retreats from the crowds and pulls His disciples aside, maybe 12 or more, and takes the teaching position of a Rabbi or “teacher.” He teaches then in verses 3-12 what a Christ centered character looks like and then he goes on to use two metaphors of what Christian influence looks like. The first is salt which was a preserver, purifier, cleanser and seasoning. The second was light that chases away the darkness, exposes what is done in darkness and radiates with the inner joy that Christ can bring in all circumstances and not the superficial happiness that comes with favorable circumstances. Verse 16 speaks to the already justified and what our influence looks like.
Our second passage in Matthew 16:27 is in the context of telling the disciples the game plan of His crucifixion and resurrection and Peter’s rebuke of the Lord {22}. This was followed by our Lord’s rebuke of Peter {23}. Then Jesus gives His disciples a lesson of the cost of discipleship. It is denying and losing oneself in Christ; we gain everything. As the believer sows by faith, they gain rewards for the works they have sown in faith. A helpful litmus of a “genuine faith” are the actions and works a person does.
But it gains no salvation. It is an indicator that the faith is there but some can do good to try to impress God of their goodness but if they do not trust in Him, their works are useless in eternity and saying we don’t rely on Christ. They are trying by good works rather than giving the good works they do as a thank you to God for what He has already done. They may help others and do kind acts but it does not get them into heaven.
There is a common grace of goodness all men have because it makes sense. Take for instance the unbeliever who puts up traffic lights. This is good so we don’t kill each other but that person is not a believer in Christ. It will get him no standing with God because he rejected God’s Son.
Our third passage in Romans 2:6 was written with the context of Roman Christians where Paul is explaining God’s plan of salvation. In the first section of chapters 1-3 he explains man’s fallenness and how “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” {Romans 3:23} In chapter one he speaks about the depravity of the gentiles and pagans.
In chapter 2 he speaks about the Jews who had the law but did not live up to its standard of perfection. They need to have their hearts “circumcised.” {2:29}
God sees all the good works they do and sees through them. Their good works come from flawed sinful hearts that do them for many different reasons and motivations.
They will get all they deserve because in verse 8 he says it is “self seeking,” “truth rejecting,” and “follow evil.” In 6:23a “the wages of sin is death.” The person who perfectly and persistently does good, seeks God’s glory in it and does it eternally well will have eternal life. {8} Who can live up to that? He concludes the section saying both Gentiles and Jews, are flawed sinners. “There is no one righteous, no not one.” {3:10} “There is no one who does good, not even one” {3:12} That is why the second part of 6:23b is so important for everyone, “But the free gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
That is why what he says to the Ephesians, in 2:8 is critical. Here he speaks to the Ephesians and explains that salvation is a work of God’s grace. Not our work. We are dead in our sin to God {2:1}and it is by His grace and mercy that He calls us and saves us. He regenerates our rebellious hearts to receive this marvelous gift.
Our good works do not justify us but they give evidence {1 Peter 1:7} that we are already justified and circumcised in our hearts. That is why a Christian who does not evidence good works and obedience to Jesus needs to wonder if they truly love Jesus.
