Are those actions which are conformable to truth, justice, or propriety; whether natural, civil, relative, moral, or religious.
The circumstances requisite to a good work are,
1. That it be according to the will of God.
2. That it spring from love to God, 1 Timothy 1:5 .
3. It must be done in faith, Romans 14:23 .
4. It must be done to the glory of God, 1 Corinthians 10:31 . Philippians 1:11 .
The causes of good works are,
1. God himself, Hebrews 13:21 .
2. By union to Christ, Ephesians 2:10 .
3. Through faith, Hebrews 11:4; Hebrews 6:1-20 :
4. By the word and Spirit, Luke 8:15 . Is. 3: 3. 2 Timothy 3:16 .
As to the nature and properties of good works,
1. They are imperfect, Ecclesiastes 7:20 . Revelation 3:2 .
2. Not meritorious, Titus 3:5 . Luke 17:10 .
3. Yet found only in the regenerate, Matthew 7:17 .
The necessary uses of good works,
1. They show our gratitude, Psalms 115:12-13 .
2. Are an ornament to our profession, Titus 2:10 .
3. Evidence our regeneration, Job 15:5 .
4. Profitable to others, Titus 3:8 .
See HOLINESS, OBEDIENCE, SANCTIFICATION. Gill's Body of Divinity, book 4: vol. iii; Ridgley's Body of Div. q. 92; Marshall on Sanctification.
Despite a stated reliance on the plain meaning of the Bible and the dictates of common sense, Buck's Theological Dictionary, first published in London in 1802, seeks to provide a textual basis for the evangelical community. By combining brief essays on orthodox belief and practice with historical entries on various denominations, Buck provided an interpretive lens that allowed antebellum Protestants to see Christianity's almost two millennia as their own history.Wikipedia
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