Dr. Keiper serves with the Evangelical Foundation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
G ood w orks are the outward mani festation to the world, of an in ward, born-again experience of the heart. While God may have the evi dence, yet you and I are to be witnes ses for Him. We are missionaries right in our own area of service. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Peter 2:24). When Christ died on Calvary’s cross, He did it for more than our salvation. That, of course, is prime. Through us, He desires that His righteousness might be fulfilled and glorified as we live for Him day by day; that we might give a testimony to the effectiveness of His work in our hearts. Notice that our text says, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we,” that is to say, you and I who have come to a sav ing knowledge of the Lord Jesus. Being “dead to sin” suggests that no longer do we have interest in following our own selfish paths. We should not be occu pied with our old ways, of being con temptible; treating people as they treat us. The difference is that we have been redeemed. So instead of living for mean contemptible self, we live for our blessed Lord. When the Lord Jesus Christ died on
Calvary’s cross, He made it possible for you and for me to live for Him unto righteousness. Taken out of its theo logical context, and put into daily ex perience, this word “righteousness” is extremely interesting. It comes from a German word which means to be “right”, “straighten.” We have in our word upright the original word sug gesting that we are to be on the level. If you are really born-again, you are to be on the level with Him. This de mands that we live for Him as a holy people in a sinful world. You may sometimes ask yourself, “Why should I do this? No one else does it. I know other believers who are not living for the Lord. Why should I live for the Saviour?” The answer is very simple. Christ has made it possible for you to live for Him. It doesn’t really matter what any other Christian does. Other Christians haven’t died for you; Christ, and Christ alone did that. Jesus says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). This verse is a command, “Let your light so shine before men” (Matthew 5:16). It is not an invitation, it is a command. We all risk defeat unless (continued on next page) 23
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