Today’s devotion comes from Galatians 6:7-10.
“7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Galatians 6:7-10.
——————————-
One of the first steps to doing good is to more truly and more fully believe that God does good. Few would deny that God does good, but in their hearts many view God more as a strict Judge than as a loving Father. If we view God more as a strict Judge, then we will be more inclined to follow His example and only give begrudgingly when we feel pressured to do so. However, if we view God more as a loving Father, then we will be more inclined to give generously and joyfully.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
Psalm 84:11
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
Matthew 7:11
And, we should do good “to all people”. Verse 10.
Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48.
Who can do good as we should?! It is hard enough to do good “to those who are of the household of the faith”. Verse 10. But, who can do good to strangers?!! Who can do good to our enemies?!!!
But, there is hope!
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10.
“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; …” Galatians 5:22-23.
Through the Holy Spirit within us, living waters of doing good bubble out of us.
Jesus said: “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, `From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water’”. John 7:38.
Jesus said: “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life”. John 4:14.
Each of us who believes in Jesus do good to others in different ways. Each of us have different works which bubble up and overflow from us. Do we do it only out of a sense of duty? No! We can not keep it capped. The works just keep bubbling up and overflowing out of us.
Some of us take care of the elderly. Some of us take care of children. Some of us take care of the physically and mentally challenged. Some of us feed the hungry and clothe the homeless. Some of us open our homes and are hospitable. Some of us teach or preach. Some of us give. Some of us are prayer warriors. Some of us provide music, snacks for fellowship hour, or other support services to the worship service and ministries of the church.
We sow to the Spirit by hearing and reading God’s Word, by meditating on it, by believing it, and by effectively doing God’s Word. “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:23-25.
In conclusion, the following Reformed creeds confirm true faith does good.
Answer 64 of The Heidelberg Catechism assures us: “… it is impossible that those, who are implanted into Christ by a true faith, should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness.”
Likewise, Article 24 of The Belgic Confession likewise states: “… Therefore it is impossible that this holy faith can be unfruitful in man: for we do not speak of a vain faith, but of such a faith, which is called in Scripture, a faith that worketh by love, which excites man to the practice of those works, which God has commanded in his Word. …”
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 