ARE GOOD DEEDS, LIKE FORGIVING, NECESSARY FOR SALVATION

There are many verses we find perplexing. They might even seem contradictory. Let’s take a common example from Jesus’ teachings:

·       “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV)

Here’s our perplexity. Scripture teaches us that salvation is by grace through faith and the not product of our merit or good deeds (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:27-28). However, it seems that Jesus is teaching that salvation depends upon our forgiving others (our merit, obedience, or good deeds). It appears to be a contradiction.

However, this can be resolved when we understand that our obedience (forgiving others) is the fruit of faith and salvation and not its root or cause. It is the fruit that a good tree bears as we (the good tree) begin to live obediently. The apple doesn’t cause or create the apple tree. Instead, it’s the tree that creates the apple. Likewise, it is our new life in Christ that should bear the fruit and not the reverse.

If we have saving faith, we too will bear fruit. If we really trust in God, we will do what He tells us to do, even though the fruit of our obedience might be of poor quality. Lot’s fruit was sub-standard, but the NT recognizes Lot as a righteous man (2 Peter 2:7-8)

Of course, this raises the question, “What is faith?” Is it merely a mental assent to or agreement with certain facts? It cannot be. The demons even believe these facts but remain unsaved (James 2:19). Instead, a saving faith is one that bears fruit (James 2:14-17), and demons do not bear good fruit:

·       And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, (1 John 2:3-4)

All of this means that faith must be more than a matter of mental agreement with certain facts, which, by themselves, will not lead to the fruit of obedience, like forgiving others. Instead, faith must include a change of heart (regeneration) regarding sin and God, the old life and the new life. It must entail a turning to God and a turning away from sin. If this impulse is lacking, there will be no confession of sin and a life devoted to trusting God.

Therefore, a believing heart must also be a repentant heart, which come to us as the free gift of God and bear the fruit of love:

·       If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:20-21)

But perhaps it is not quite so simple. Instead, it requires time to bear fruit. The tree only bears in season. As a new Christian, I remained spiritually blind. I hated the brethren, but I didn't realize it. I was jealous of them and resented them. They seemed to enjoy one another and the Lord, while I felt alienated from both. They spoke with confidence, while I could not. Therefore, I tried to trip them up. Fortunately, the Spirit opened my eyes, through the Word, to show me my sin, and I recoiled at its ugliness and repented. I now derive great joy in building them up in our holy faith.

Sometimes, it takes time to see our sins. However, this is different from the person who sees his sins but stubbornly refuses to repent. It is like telling God, “I can run my life better than you can.” It is also a refusal to allow God in – hardly a good example of saving faith.

Likewise, a refusal to forgive or at least to pray for our enemies, is a denial of the central truth of the Gospel – that Jesus had died to forgive us when we were His enemies (Romans 5:8-10). In light of this, it is a rejection of the Gospel to refuse to forgive.