Works the World Understands

by Joe Thorn on August 31, 2006

I have this excellent collection of Puritan sermons next to my reading chair. Six volumes, each weighing in at over 600+ pages. I was reading from it this week and wanted to share a quote. From a sermon on Mt. 5:16,

Christ here intendeth that we must abound especially in those good works which the world is capable of knowing to be good, and not only in those which none but Christians themselves approve. If believers and unbelievers agreed in no common principles, we were not capable of preaching to unbelievers, nor convincing them, nor of conversing with them.
Richard Baxter, What Light Must Shine in Our Works?

About Joe Thorn

I am the Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship in Saint Charles, IL, and author of Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself. Jen is my wife, and Katherine, Elias, Madeline and Kilian are my kids.

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  • http://robslagle.blogspot.com rob_slagle

    Our actions do non verbally communicate a message to those around us. Of course we will never be perfect, but we should strive to point others to Christ in all circumstances.

  • http://www.stevekmccoy.com Steve McCoy

    Man, great quote.

  • http://gunny93.blogspot.com Gunny Hartman

    Great quote, and very timely for me. I’m taking the yutes through the Sermon on the Mount in Sunday school and this will come in very handy for this Sunday.

  • http://www.theologyprof.com/ Mark DeVine

    Doing good is not witness as such. However, when we Christians are found neglecting the happy duty to do good, it rightly undermines the credibility of our witness.

    My recent post on Rick Warren lauds his firm stand acknowledging the exclusive claims of Christ and refusal to acknowledge homosexual behavior as an acceptable lifestyle choice. At the same time Warren has launched a massive “do good” campaign related poverty and AIDS. This combination of politically incorrect witness and politically correct service can be a powerful evangelistic combination. I wish Warren well.

    Also, the proliferation of social programs proliferated by Spurgeon’s Tabernacle deserves our renewed recognition and admiration.

  • http://sbcoutpost.com Marty Duren

    Excellent. Just excellent.

  • Pingback: part of the story » so so good and so so true

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