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“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14).
The Word of God describes “works” in several different ways. Works are the things that we do in our lives, and we often do these things for different reasons before God. Here in our verse today we have the expression “dead works.” What does that mean?
That expression means the works that men do in order to earn their way to heaven. In the Old Testament, God gave Israel the law, to see if man could keep it. But no one could keep the law and earn God’s favor on that basis. Even today, when the gospel has been preached in many parts of the world, Satan has persuaded many people that all they have to do is to do their best, and try to live a good, upright life. Then, supposedly, everything will be all right.
However, God calls all this “dead works,” for we all naturally have a sinful fallen nature, and cannot please God. In Isaiah 64:6, we read that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” In order to be fit for heaven, we need a new life in Christ.
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