Good Works
Charles Spurgeon · Gleanings among the Sheaves
When once the human heart is put under the microscope of Scripture, and
we see it with a spiritual eye, we perceive it to be so vile, that we
are quite sure it would be just as impossible to expect to find good
works in an unrighteous, unconverted man, as to hope to see fire burning
in the midst of the ocean. The two things would be incongruous. Our good
works, if we have any, spring from a real conversion; yet more, they
spring also from a constant spiritual influence exercised upon us, from
the time of conversion even until the hour of death. Ah, Christian, thou
wouldst have no good works if thou hadst no fresh grace day by day! Thou
wouldst not find the grace given thee at the first hour sufficient to
produce fruit to-day. It is not like the planting of a tree in our
hearts, which naturally of itself bringeth forth fruit; but the sap
cometh up from the root Jesus Christ. We are not trees by ourselves, but
we are branches fixed on the Living Vine.
Our good works spring from union with Christ. The more a man knows and
feels himself to be one with Jesus, the more holy will he be. Why is a
Christian's character like Christ's character? Only for this reason,
that he is joined and united to the Lord Jesus. Why does the branch
bring forth grapes? Simply because it has been engrafted into the vine,
and therefore it partakes of the nature of the stem. So, Christian, the
only way whereby thou canst bring forth fruit to God is by being grafted
into Christ and united with him. If you think you can walk in holiness
without keeping up perpetual fellowship with Christ, you have made a
great mistake. If you would be holy, you must live close to Jesus. Good
works spring only thence. Hence we draw the most powerful reasons
against anything like trusting in works; for as works are only the gift
of God, how utterly impossible it is for an unconverted man to produce
any such good works in himself. And if they are God's gifts, how little
of our merit can there be in them!