10
He syövät, mutta eivät tule ravituiksi, he harjoittavat haureutta, mutta eivät lisäänny, sillä he eivät ole tahtoneet ottaa vaaria Herrasta.
Hosea 4:10
Doctrine of Life # 2
2. That religion is a way of life, and that its life is the doing of good, is something everyone sees who reads the Word and on reading it acknowledges it.
We find in the Word the following declarations:
Whoever...breaks...the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ...I say to you, ...unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19-20)
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:19-20)
Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord, ” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)
Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name..., and in Your name done many wonders?” But then I will declare to them, “I do not know you; depart from Me, you workers of iniquity.” (Matthew 7:22-23)
...everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does them, I will liken to a prudent man who built his house upon the rock.... But everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. (Matthew 7:24, 26)
(Jesus said:) “...a sower went out to sow. ...some seed fell on the hard road; ...some...on stony places...; some...among thorns...; and some...on good ground....
“He who received seed on the good ground, that is, who hears the Word and pays attention, (is) someone who therefore bears and produces fruit: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
(When Jesus said this, He cried out, saying, ) “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matthew 13:3-9, 23, 43)
[2] ...the Son of man will come in the glory of His Father..., and then He will reward each according to his works. (Matthew 16:27)
...the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it. (Matthew 21:43)
When the Son of Man comes in His glory..., then He will sit on the throne of His glory.... (And He) will say to (the sheep) on His right hand, “Come, you blessed...(and) inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.”
Then the righteous will answer..., saying, “...when did we see You (so)...?
(But) the King will answer and say..., “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of...My brethren, you did it to Me.”
(And the King will say the like to the goats on the left hand; and because they did not do these things He will say, ) “Go ye from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his messengers. (Matthew 25:31-46)
[3] ...produce fruits worthy of repentance.... Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Luke 3:8-9)
(Jesus said, ) “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord, ’ and do not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, ...is like a man who built a house (and) laid the foundation on rock.... But he who hears and does not do is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation....” (Luke 6:46-49)
(Jesus said, ) “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:21)
(Then) you will begin to stand...and knock at the door, saying, “Lord, Lord, open for us.” (But) He will answer and say to you, “I do not know you, where you are from.... Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.” (Luke 13:25-27)
[4] This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, (but) men loved darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. ...everyone who does evil hates the light..., lest his deeds be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, (since) they have been done in God. (John 3:19-21)
...and they shall come forth — those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:29)
We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. (John 9:31)
If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13:17)
If you love Me, keep My commandments.... He who has My commandments and does them, it is he who loves Me..., and I will love him and manifest Myself to him..., and (I) will come to him and make (My) abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words. (John 14:15, 21-24)
(Jesus said, ) I am the...vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; but every branch that produces fruit He prunes, that it may produce more fruit. (John 15:1-2)
In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and become My disciples. (John 15:8)
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.... ...I chose you...that you should...bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.... (John 15:14, 16)
[5] (The Lord said to John, ) “ To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘...I know your works.... ...I have this against you, that you have left your first charity. ...repent and do the first works, or else...I will...remove your lampstand from its place....’ ” (Revelation 2:1-2, 4-5)
“...to the angel of the church of the people of Smyrna write, ‘...I know your works...’ ” (Revelation 2:8-9)
“...to the angel of the church in Pergamum write, ‘...I know your works.... Repent....’ ” (Revelation 2:12-13, 16)
“...to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘...I know your works and charity..., and (your) last (works) more than the first.’ ” (Revelation 2:18-19)
“...to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘...I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, when you are dead. ...I have not found your works perfect before God.... ...repent.’ ” (Revelation 3:1-3)
“...to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘...I know your works.’ ” (Revelation 3:7-8)
“...to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘...I know your works.... ...repent....’ ” (Revelation 3:14-15, 19)
...I heard a voice from heaven saying..., “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” ...says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors; their works follow them.” (Revelation 14:13)
...a book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged...in accordance with the things which were written in their books..., all according to their works. (Revelation 20:12-13)
Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. (Revelation 22:12)
[6] So, too, in the Old Testament:
...repay them according to their work and according to the doing of their hands. (Jeremiah 25:14)
(Jehovah, whose) eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his works. (Jeremiah 32:19)
I will punish him according to his ways, and repay him his works. (Hosea 4:9)
...Jehovah... according to our ways, according to our deeds, has dealt with us. (Zechariah 1:6) And in many other places [we are told] that the people were to obey the statutes, commandments and laws. As for example:
You shall keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does them, he shall live through them. (Leviticus 18:5)
You shall observe all My statutes and... My judgments, in order to obey them. (Leviticus 19:37, cf. 20:8, 22:31) The blessings [enumerated] if they obeyed the commandments, and the curses if they did not (Leviticus 26:4-46).
The children of Israel were commanded “to make a fringe on the edges of their garments,” so as to “remember all the commandments of Jehovah and obey them” (Numbers 15:38-39).
And so on in a thousand other places.
[7] That works are what make a person a person of the church, and that he is saved in accordance with them, is something the Lord also taught in His parables, many of which involve the idea that people who do good are accepted, and that those who do evil are rejected. See, for example, the parable of the husbandmen in the vineyard in Matthew 21:33-44; of the fig tree that did not produce fruit in Luke 13:6-9; of the talents and minas which were to be used in trade in Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:13-25; of the Samaritan who bound up the wounds of the man injured by thieves in Luke 10:30-37; of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31; and of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-12.
Matthew 8
1
When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
2
And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
3
And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
4
And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
5
And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
6
And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7
And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8
The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
9
For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10
When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
11
And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
12
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13
And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
14
And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.
15
And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
16
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
17
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
18
Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
19
And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20
And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21
And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22
But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
23
And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24
And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25
And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26
And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27
But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
28
And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
29
And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30
And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
31
So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32
And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33
And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
34
And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
