WE LIVE IN AN AGE OF CONFUSED PEOPLE AND PERVERTED VALUES TODAY, AND ARE LOSING CIVILIZATION

• Anarchy seems to reign in the use of words, motives, moral values, -meanings change
• We need to get back to basics so that we can understand each other- Motives & Goals
• If we could have a return to a basic vocabulary, we could have the peace sought by man.

But we need to study the Scriptures carefully to find our meaningful words.

I. WRONG REASONS FOR GOOD WORKS Titus 3:3-7

The world today is questioning motives, even if a person does well.

A. TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT GOOD IS A NOBLE MOTIVE, BUT A WRONG ONE!  cf v.3

• Paul has a low view of human ability to be or do good- the world is hateful & hating
• It is strange how the greatest humanitarian projects backfire into sin and harm for all
• Our wars against discrimination, poverty, ignorance, -even anti-Communism- have all backfired!

B. TO WORK FOR OUR OWN SALVATION WOULD MOVE MANY, BUT THIS IS A FALSE MOTIVE -v.5

• Plainly, from one end of the Bible to the other, man simply cannot save himself- Eph 2:8-9
• God was moved by His mercy and grace to give us freely our only salvation- He wanted to.
• Even the way He provided was salvation- washing, renewing, all through Jesus Christ - v.6

C. TO DO GOOD WORKS BECAUSE GOD NEEDS US, OR THE RESULTS OF OUR WORKS, IS ALSO A FALSE MOTIVE - v.5

• We are made heirs by His grace; He gives all things to use, we cannot give Him any great thing
• The earth and all that is in it is His - and mankind certainly has not improved it
• The heavens above are populated by His angels; He does not need us at all

As far as God and Eternity is concerned- Isa 64:6- "all our righteousness is as filthy rags"

II. RIGHT REASONS FOR GOOD WORKS Titus 3:8 & 14

The right motive for our hearts is also supplied by the Lord that saves us- see it plainly

A. MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS * BECAUSE THEY ARE GOOD! 8c

• Beauty is its own excuse for being, and good works are good because they are good in being
• "Kalds" means good, fair, beautiful, right, noble, honorable, and is used often in the Bible
• Only God is good- Matt 19:17, but when a man does a good thing- God warms his heart a bit!

B. MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS * BECAUSE THEY ARE PROFITABLE UNTO MEN 8d

• We are told to avoid certain things because they are unprofitable- v.9, questions, strife
• The accumulative results of good deeds is civilization- and this is profitable to all
• But when good works are questioned away, evil is rewarded, Anarchy soon wipes out good!

C. ALSO WE MUST LEARN TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS FOR NECESSARY USES v.14

• No one can be obedient to God without more than just one- "a pattern of Good works-" 2:7
• To be fruitful we must maintain- keep up, and keep on doing- good works- 3:14 work or starve
• In fact the Lord is working in us to make us zealous of good works- 2:14

You just cannot be obedient to God without striving for Good Works with all that you have.

III. WHAT ARE GOOD WORKS?

I thought - feed my children, drive slow in school zones, & smile at in-laws Scout style

A. MAN HAS BEEN SEARCHING FOR A DEFINITION OF GOOD WORKS SINCE TIME BEGAN

• Babylonians had a tablet, Egyptians-Feed hungry- water thirsty- clothe naked- give ride- walker
• Plato taught the highest good is Happiness, for self & others; some thought pleasure-
• Early Catholics- Hear Mass, Confess Communion, Tithe, & not marry out of season- later, 7 virtues, 7 fruits of the Spirit, 7 corporal & spiritual works of love.

B. WHAT DID JESUS TEACH? Matt 6:20

• Matt 7:21 -Not just talking, but doing the will of God, also Matt 21:28- two sons, one obeyed
• There is a catalogue list in the Beatitudes- Matt 5:3-12, but these are attitudes - works?
• But the greatest comes in the form of a command- Love- John 13:34, to show love is good

C. WHAT DID PAUL TEACH? ALMOST HALF OF EACH OF HIS EPISTLES TURN TO PRACTICAL WORKS

• Titus 3:1,2 the usual - obey magistrates, don't lie or pick fights, but be gentle & meek
• The purpose of our assembling together in Church is to provoke each other - Heb. 10:24,25
• We are not to be weary in well-doing- 2 Thes 3:13, & Gal 6:9 gives a promise of reaping.

And because of His resurrection- I Cor 15:58 what we do is not in vain -

HAVE YOU BELIEVED IN GOD FOR SALVATION, AND ARE YOU SHOWING IT BY GOOD WORKS?

• To believe comes from the heart, but the first good work is to confess Christ publicly-
• Our confused world today needs more people doing good works for the right reasons-
• But we must quit expecting all eternity to bow to us in exchange for one little work-