Invisible Good Works
Having formerly been not-so-interested when it came to theology (the reading of it anyways), now that I'm learning more I like to look back on some of the things that I have heard or learned in the past and see where it all falls in. One of the things that I have heard amongst some Lutherans (keep in mind I haven't always been LCMS) is the idea that you don't need to worry about doing good works, good works will just happen. I think some of the main support for that is usually from Matthew: 25:37-39 - Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?". Certainly good works happen and even sometimes without our realizing. I'm not discounting that at all.
Good works can happen without our realizing, but I fear that always thinking of works as something that "happens" can lead to dangerous places. A "happening" implies almost no personal involvement. If you are waiting for works to spontaneously and invisibly happen from you, then you put very little effort into exercising the flesh to do good works. The focus seems to be put on the surprised righteous ones saying "when did we do these things?". However, the focus stops a little short. The surprise is not that the righteous ones were doing good works. Surely they treasured His Word in their hearts and strove to feed the hungry, give water to the poor and clothes to the naked, and to visit the sick and imprisoned. Those aren't the sort of things that happen solely on their own, automaton-like. The righteous were not surprised at their doing as they did not say "when did we do these things" but "when did we do these things to you, Lord". Matthew 25:40, The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Their real surprise was the revelation of Christ in their fellow man, that the works they had done were done to Christ.
Don't worry about doing good works is bad advice. It leads to complacency and spiritual laziness. The Accuser wants us to forget about bearing the fruits of the Spirit, to wait rather than to strive now against our flesh. I think this is particularly important to remember this time of year when many run about making New Year's resolutions to their own earthly betterment. Like clockwork our resolutions fail or are abandoned without much of a second thought. But let us not forget (I'm reminding myself) to run in such a way that we may obtain the prize, seeing Christ in those around us and being little Christs to them in turn.
Good works can happen without our realizing, but I fear that always thinking of works as something that "happens" can lead to dangerous places. A "happening" implies almost no personal involvement. If you are waiting for works to spontaneously and invisibly happen from you, then you put very little effort into exercising the flesh to do good works. The focus seems to be put on the surprised righteous ones saying "when did we do these things?". However, the focus stops a little short. The surprise is not that the righteous ones were doing good works. Surely they treasured His Word in their hearts and strove to feed the hungry, give water to the poor and clothes to the naked, and to visit the sick and imprisoned. Those aren't the sort of things that happen solely on their own, automaton-like. The righteous were not surprised at their doing as they did not say "when did we do these things" but "when did we do these things to you, Lord". Matthew 25:40, The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Their real surprise was the revelation of Christ in their fellow man, that the works they had done were done to Christ.
Don't worry about doing good works is bad advice. It leads to complacency and spiritual laziness. The Accuser wants us to forget about bearing the fruits of the Spirit, to wait rather than to strive now against our flesh. I think this is particularly important to remember this time of year when many run about making New Year's resolutions to their own earthly betterment. Like clockwork our resolutions fail or are abandoned without much of a second thought. But let us not forget (I'm reminding myself) to run in such a way that we may obtain the prize, seeing Christ in those around us and being little Christs to them in turn.
Comments
It has no support in either Scripture or the Lutheran Confessions.
A blessed Christmastide and Epiphany to you and to you family.
Cordially in Christ,
PTM
How crazy is that, to suppose people could feed the hungry, clothe the naked, or visit the sick, without realizing they had done it?
Anastasia
I have always though there was a sacramental element in these Words of Christ.
If we want these people to see God's love and believe in Him, we must show them love ourselves, since, as Christ Himself says, by this all men will know that we are His disciples.
Love does not allow us to forget them.
And so by feeding, clothing, adopting, etc, we will be preaching the Gospel of the God who feeds us with Himself, who clothes us with a garment of righteousness, and adopts us as sons.
In Christ,
John
My understanding of the sheep business has always been, when did I ever do these things in a Good way, ie with pure motives and in true charity?
Which is why I would prefer to see what the Church Fathers (i.e. the historical interpretation) have to say on this passage rather than lean on my own interpretation.
The righteous were not surprised at their doing as they did not say "when did we do these things" but "when did we do these things to you, Lord"
And that is EXACTLY what I thought when I read the discussion.
Invisible works is a very scary, soul threatening thing. I know from personal experience as I tried to live a life of “invisible works”. I remember debating with myself about getting up and doing a work for my neighbor but thinking…”I don’t want to do this…I’d rather stay here and rest.” So if I did make the effort to do the work against my desires, it must be coming from me and not Christ…it must be a filthy rag! And I sat on my hands thinking my inactivity and my failure to love my neighbor was the right thing to do!!! How twisted is that!
We were created for works and works require effort. And all good comes from God, so our ability to do good is because of grace He gives us but we still have to exert effort. On my side of the river we call that synergy. Active love.
I suspect some may say this confounds Law and Gospel...using the "have to" phrase. Maybe...from a Lutheran perspective it does that.
But the Orthodox wouldn't put it in those terms. The Orthodox would clearly say "Good works are necessry for salvation." However, some understanding about Orthodoxy must be in place in advance of such a statement or it will be misunderstood. So it's no surprise to me when we say such a thing the protestant "works righteousness" alarms go off.
The Orthodox do not separate faith and works. Faith is not a mental acknowledgement or solely a mental security...it is an action word, and active love is a component of faith. For us it is completely impossible to have faith without works. Not because Christ's victory over death was insufficient! But because saving faith cannot exist without works.
Some of this understanding plays into the discussion that may have been the trigger for your original post. The Orthodox do not believe we are only "declared" righteous, but that we are also "made" righteous. Our union in Christ must result in good works...in our Baptisms we die to ourselves and rise in Christ. We are changed!
Now...is this change possible to see? Here's the deal. I may be able to see it in others but am unlikely to see it in myself because becoming more Christ-like is like adding light to a dark old attic...the more light that filters in the more filth one can see. So we can't look to ourselves to accurately gauge that we are becoming by His grace, more and more like Christ over time. Rather, we live a life of repentance with the Church, in prayer, partaking of the Sacraments and the life of the Church, etc., trusting in the mercy of God but not denying His ability to truly change us.
Now I am pretty certain in my fear of being misunderstood as having a "works righteous" understanding of the Christian faith that I have written circles around my intended answer to you. I apologize if I am not clear or if I have misstated soemthing.
So, synergy is our walking with, assisting, cooperating, willing, struggling, fasting, praying, worshipping, etc. in, with and through the Holy Trinity (to the father, through the Son, with the Holy Spirit) being built up till the end. We are not saved by good works, we don't add our pittance to God's largesse to fully pay our debt, etc. Good works are both medicine (the cure for fornication is chastity) and the results or proof of a health renewed by that medicine (chastity is our normal, natural state). The conception and birth of the Theotokos, the conception, birth and revelation of Christ, the Cross and Resurrection and Ascension are all the prelude to what gave us the ability to begin excercising our wills in this medicinal and more healthy way. We are not individually graced with an amount of grace that will then allow us to be saved or graced with a declaration that our sins were paid by someone else (note: not forgiven, but paid by proxy) and thus willing or able to respond with good works; through the hypostatic union (Christ uniting divine and human nature in His one Person and offering us membership as members in His Body through Baptism and Communion) our entire nature, common to all humanity, has been flooded with the divine energies that allow us to begin excercising that will - he has also provided us with tools and maps (sacraments, worship, prayer, asceticism, tradition)to help we persons live according to our nature that was, is and will be 'saved'.
It may be all wrong (to Orthodox and Lutherans), but that is my understanding.