Psalm 121, WDY’K: God Keeps His Children Forever (5)

iii)      The believer must/will continue in good works.  Certainly this is God’s plan, as He has prepared for us beforehand a path of good works (Eph. 2:10).  This is highlighted in John’s epistles where the issue is “assurance.”  We know that we know Him if we keep His commandments (1 Jn. 2:3), but the one who does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him (2:4).  See also 1 Jn. 2:29; 3:14, 18-19 where assurance comes to those who love their brother in deed and truth.  Jesus’ teaching about prophets, that by their fruits you shall know them, is built on this idea (Mt. 7:15-20).  Depending on your interpretation, 2 Pt. 1:10 also fits.

iv)   Isn’t this salvation by works?  No, it is not.  The walk that we walk is a walk of faith.  It is walking in the Spirit.  Continuing in the faith in which we began our walk with Christ is no more “salvation by works” than the choice of faith I made the day I received Christ as my Lord and Savior.  Let us move on to note how this “continuing” is the work of God in my life.  There is no salvation apart from my faith (active voice in Greek, my responsibility); and yet it is not my work but the work of Christ. 

c)    This perseverance/continuing of the believer is nevertheless a work of God and His grace.  As Phil. 2:12-13 says, God is always at work in us to will and to do for His good pleasure even as we work out (our) own salvation with fear and trembling. 

i)      It is the work of the Father, Ps. 121.  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth … He who keeps you will not sleep.  The LORD is your keeper.  It involved His divine purpose (Eph. 1:4; 5:25-27; 1 Th. 5:23-24; Rom. 8:2-3), power (2 Tim. 1:12; Jude 24) and faithfulness (2 Th. 3:3; 1 Th. 5:23-24).  Truly God is able to keep that which I have committed to Him until that day (2 Tim. 1:12).

ii)   It is a work of the Son, Rom. 8:34.  It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.  It involves His death (1 Jn. 1:7; Eph. 1:7), resurrection (Jn. 11:25-26), session at God’s right hand (Heb. 10:11-12) and intercession for us (Lk. 22:32).  In 1 Jn. 1:7 the present tense indicates that Jesus “keeps on cleansing” us with His blood.

iii)            It is a work of the Spirit.  It involves His indwelling (John 14:16: it’s forever), His work as a “seal” of God’s approval (Eph. 1:13-14) and His work as the “earnest” (guarantee) of our inheritance (Eph. 1:14).  The first of these three means the other two never cease.