# Specific Works Contributing to Justification



## Scott (Jul 19, 2006)

In discussing the issue of justification by faith alone with people who believe that their own works contribute at least in part to their justification, I have found it useful to ask this question. *What specific works have you done that you believe contribute to your justification?* The idea is to get them to list specific things (eg. identify the specific ways they have helped people by name, the number of times they pray, etc.). I call this the inventory of their good works.

I have actually had people list out such an inventory (like "I told Mr. XYZ the gospel"). It leads to many good questions, like:

[1] So, if you had not done item 4 on your list of good works, would you go to heaven?
[2] Aren't Christ's works alone sufficient to secure your justification? Does your inventory of good works really add anything to Christ's work?
[3] Does your inventory of good deeds give you grounds to boast about your righteousness, as compared to someone with a smaller inventory of good works?

Things like that. This approach is helpful for vividly illustrating how paltry our personal works are compared to those of Christ. The useful thing about this approach is that it takes the debate from the abstract to the concrete and the starkness of what they say can help them see how wrongheaded their reliance on their works is.

Scott


[Edited on 7-19-2006 by Scott]


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## MW (Jul 19, 2006)

I think the general mindset is not one of weighing works in the balance, but more in terms of what the Puritans would call a patched-up righteousness. For most it is a matter of doing your best and God forgives you for the rest; and the death of Christ is nothing more than an evidence of God's love and willingness to forgive.


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