Deeds wrought in God

 Jn 3:21 - But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.


There is a popular saying in modern Christianity that says: “It’s not about what you DO, it’s about what Jesus has DONE”. So while that may sound nice, reasonable, and somewhat comforting, it’s actually incorrect and not really true. Properly put it should be: It’s not about what you HAVE DONE (leading up to redemption), it’s about what Jesus HAS DONE (in redemption)”. Why is that distinction important? Because once we are redeemed, everything changes. When we first come to faith in Christ, He forgives us, redeems us, and wipes the slate clean, our past, the things we “have done” are completely put away and we become a new creation in Christ. We are “born again” so essentially we start over and begin a new life in Christ, now it’s EVERYTHING about what we DO.


Gal 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I NOW LIVE in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.


We now live by faith, and how we conduct ourselves in obedience and submission to the leading of Christ are a direct reflection of that faith, that’s why the things we DO now matter. We are told in 2 Pet 1:3-4 - According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.


His work is finished and it’s sufficient for everything we need, so now it comes down to us and our ongoing response to Him in daily faithfulness and obedience, in the things we DO. But doesn’t Jesus promise that the work He began in us will be completed like it says in Phil 1:6 somewhat regardless of our cooperation? No, not at all. Our cooperation in faithfulness to the Lord and the promptings of the Holy Spirit are vital and important in order for that work to be completed. The Apostle Paul made that particular statement to the saints in Philippi because of what he observed in their actions, i.e. their deeds, in faithfulness and obedience, it was never meant as a blanket promise to Christians apart from that. He qualifies his confidence in them in the next verse: Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace (Phil 1:7). Paul specifically references their faithful fellowship and defense of the Gospel, whether or not he could say the same thing about us would depend upon the same measure he used when observing the saints in Phillipi, by what we DO…..it’s not a guarantee, just an observation.


This brings us back to our title verse: But he that DOETH truth cometh to the light, that HIS DEEDS may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God (Jn 3:21). Why would a Christian actually be eager to have their deeds exposed to the light and be made manifest? Because as they yield to the Holy Spirit and walk in obedience to the inner promptings, they see the work of the God in them, changing them and transforming them and they are eager and excited about coming to the light to expose what has been “wrought in God” in their lives. Christians should not be living a double life where half the time they are ashamed and running from the light because of ongoing sin and disobedience. In fact the two verses just preceding say this: And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved (Jn 3:19-20). The only reason a Christian would be ashamed to have their deeds exposed to the light is because of some ongoing presence of sin and bad deeds in their life that does not coincide with their profession of faith and they aren’t seriously dealing with that inconsistency and eradicating it.


But doesn’t Romans 8:1 tell us that there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus? Yes, but it’s important that we don’t omit the last half of the verse: “who WALK not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom 8:1 KJV). In order to claim the promise of no condemnation, we must also be making a practice of walking after the Spirit and not indulging and walking after the deeds of the flesh. Now, most modern Bible translations don’t include that qualifier in Rom 8:1, but they all do by the time you get to verse 4 which completes the full statement, so it’s really saying the same thing. The next verse says: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit (Rom 8:5). So as Christians we are all called and expected to put to death the deeds of the flesh and walk in the Spirit, which is what is meant to “mind the things of the Spirit”, and as we practice that we see the power of God working in us in a real and tangible manner and we are happy to come to the light and make manifest what has been “wrought in God” by His inward work, which becomes our ongoing testimony. Jesus said: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matt 5:16).

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