Jesus commanded Lazarus.
Lazarus obeyed.
When he obeyed that was a good work, was it not?
All obedience is good work. But was it really Lazarus that should be credited for it? Do you think that Lazarus will take the credit, and say "Yeah, I obeyed, I did it!" Is that what anybody would say when they arise and come forth from a grave?
It was a miracle. Lazarus obeyed, but then again he did nothing.
When works are judged there will be all kinds of works, but they will fall into two categories. The one category is what man can produce. The other category is what God can produce. What is wood, hay and stubble except the good/bad/ugly of man's works produced by their sweat? And on the other hand, what man can produce a single precious jewel by their own sweat? It is impossible with man to produce a single good work, but with man it is possible to make all kinds of works that will be utterly rejected at the judgment and reduced to ashes in the fire.
When the antichrist helps an old woman across the street, is that a good work? NO! It is sin, for anything that is not of faith is sin! And the antichrist does nothing of faith, and all is done in impure rebellion! Repentance is needed, and faith. For Jesus suffered and died for all the sin done independently of God by such a man, while the world would applaud those same works.
Am I over-spiritualizing? Can such a thing happen? The Spirit and only the Spirit is reality and to humanize and extol the ability of man to do what is pleasing to God ... when man can do nothing is the delusion of religion. Such a bitter disillusionment awaits the humanists at the judgment, when all their "good works" as man would judge, the fire judges as dust ... for they were produced by men. And all the works that man cannot do, and yet they did them, for they are their works ... these precious jewels are gifts of the Most High, and to Him belongs all credit and glory for the production of them.
Rewards are coming, and I know that I know, that I will only be rewarded for exactly what I never did. For rewards come to those that abide and let the Lord do through them as though it was them ... but it indeed and in truth was not them at all. It was the Lord, by His Spirit. Or it is nothing at all.
Take brother Lazarus' word for it when he tells you in the Kingdom, that he obeyed the Lord, but he didn't obey the Lord. I mean, he didn't ... but then again he did.
All true obedience is miraculous. And all of the Lord's commands reveal what we cannot do, but by His Spirit, He intends to do them through us!
To God be the glory!
Apart from Him we do absolutely nothing.
Ripening still,
Trent
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