YES, “the work of God!” What is it? What is that one thing which can be called par excellence the work of God? An answer is given fully and clearly to the question, “What shall we do that we might work the works of God?”
But, first, think of any one asking such a question!
Think of a poor faulty man undertaking to do these works! How utterly ignorant, at least, of his own moral weakness on the one hand, and of the infinite demand of God on the other. Think of fallen man doing the works of God!
And yet this very question was asked by not a few at a time when the Lord was speaking of that life which the Son of man should give, “for him hath God the Father sealed” (see John 6:2727Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (John 6:27)). The immediate query was, “What shall we do?”
Do? Yes! That comes naturally! We like to do something—anything—everything! From Sinai, and its Law, to our own day, in one form or another, we are ready to undertake any task and fulfill any requirement which God may see fit to enforce. Man has not, nor ever had, an idea of his own spiritual impotence.
The Lord spoke of life given―they, of works to be done! How different!
No doubt He had also said, “Labor not for the meat that perisheth, but for that meat that endureth unto everlasting life, which,” He graciously added, “the Son of man shall give unto you;” but they, failing to catch the point of gift, fastened upon the word “labor,” and at once asked what they should do What a difference there is between receiving a gift and doing a work! How blessed to receive God’s gift! How impossible to meet His smallest demand!
An honest attempt at the latter will speedily bring the sincere soul into a state of misery (see Rom. 7). And what was the Lord’s answer?
“This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
1St. “That ye believe;” not a trace of doing, or of working, or of accomplishing anything at all!
2. “On him”―the person presented as the perfect object of faith―on whom faith rests!
3. “Whom, he hath sent”—the Son, coming from God, yea, from the very bosom of the Father, and possessing rightly all His love!
To do this is to do the work of God! It is the recognition of the person of the Son of God; and the faith that, through grace, does this, does the work of God. To be right there, is to be right in all else. “He that honoureth the Son honoureth the Father,” and the work of God, as accomplished by man, resolves itself into a true and God-given appreciation of His Son, the Giver of “everlasting life.”
J. W. S.