Where are they? Before or behind you?
I SHALL for argument’s sake take for granted that you have some good works, aye, and as great a quantity as you like; but where have you them? In your arms, in front of you? or behind you, brought on after you by another?
Which?
Upon the answer you are obliged to give this plain question depends the state of your soul, and whether you are bound for heaven or hell. If your works are before you, it is all wrong, you are posting on to eternal damnation; but if they are behind you, it is all right, you are hastening on to eternal glory.
To be as plain as possible, and to help you all I can to settle this momentous matter, let us look at a passage or two of Scripture.
Surely the will of the Father clearly is, to begin with, that a poor sinner should own himself undone, and so trust the blood of Jesus alone, and thus let Christ save him.
“Many [ah! mark the word ‘Many,’ not a few] will say to be in that day [alas! too late], Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name done
MANY WONDERFUL WORKS?”
These have their works on the wrong side of them―in their arms―before them. And see what reception they meet with, poor deluded, ruined souls! Does the Lord welcome them, and cry out to make way for them, and to open heaven’s gates wide to receive them? Ah! no. They expected that; but quite the reverse happened them.
“And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER knew you.” Not I once knew you, but you “fell away”; but I never knew you, notwithstanding all the profession you made, and name you got for religion among your fellow-men, your co-religionists in particular. We read, “He knoweth them that trust in Him” (Nah. 1:77The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. (Nahum 1:7)). Such do the will of the Father, but you never did so. If you had but touched the hem of Christ’s garment virtue would have gone out of Him, and He would have known it, and you should have been healed, but you never did. The Lord will say,
“I NEVER KNEW YOU,
depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Such works are, you see,
“WORKS OF INIQUITY.”
But alas! it all goes for nothing, and at a bad time—at a time when it cannot be rectified. Now is the time for that. Notice; could they have sung sincerely such a hymn as this, they wouldn’t have been kept long at heaven’s gates, far less turned away―
“There is a Name I love to hear,
I love to speak its worth,
It sounds like music in mine ear
The sweetest Name on earth.
It tells me of a Saviour’s love,
Who died to set me free;
It tells me of His precious blood,
The sinner’s PERFECT PLEA.”
Or this―
“Just as I am, WITHOUT ONE PLEA,
But that THY BLOOD WAS BRED FOR ME,
And that THOU BID’ST ME COME TO TREE,
O Lamb of God, I COME.”
But as it is, the terms of acceptance for both person and works being so clearly laid down, but by these self-willed ones disregarded, what can even the loving Lord Jesus do but disown them, “I NEVER knew you; depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity.”
But on the other hand, fancy the Lord turning a poor sinner off, who makes the blood alone his plea, and that he is invited to come as he is, all as that verse of the hymn so correctly and concisely expresses it, NEVER! NEVER!! NEVER!!!
2. Now turn to Revelation 14:13: “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; Yea, with, the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and
THEIR WORKS DO FOLLOW THEM.”
The words “From henceforth,” to be very strict, show that this refers to a certain class of saved ones at a particular time, but that is nothing, for the principle is the same in all dispensations. Those, who die in the Lord, die blessed, and their works are not lost sight of. The Lord looks after them, and they are all gathered up, and come on after them. They are on the right side of them, you see. Their eye is on Christ. They are absorbed in Him. When on earth they worked, to be sure, because they were saved (how could they help it!), but they never think of their works (not like the first class, who count so much on their works, and send them on before them, or take good care to bring them with them at least); but the Lord looks after them. Their little talks together even are set down in a book of remembrance (see Mal. 3:1616Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16)). Their tears are in a bottle (see Psa. 56:88Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? (Psalm 56:8)). Every cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple shall in nowise lose its reward (see Matt. 10:4242And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matthew 10:42)).
The main thing now is to see to it that your works are on the right side of you, i.e., behind you coming after you, looked after by the Lord, not by yourself.
Let me repeat my title: ―
YOUR GOOD WORKS:
Where are they? Before or behind you?
J. G.