A last reminder concerning good works.
The suggestion just made leads to this adjunction: "And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful."
I. IT IS AN INJUNCTION TO THE BRETHREN GENERALLY. "Ours also." It is the duty of all believers, sharers in the common faith, and heirs of the grace of life, to learn to do good works.
II. BELIEVERS NEED TO RE TRAINED TO THIS SERVICE. "Let ours also learn." They will learn it from the Scriptures, which tell us what is the good and perfect and acceptable will of God; and from the doctrines of grace, which teach us to follow as an example the Lord Jesus, who went about every day doing good.
III. THESE GOOD WORKS ARE TO HAVE A PRACTICAL BEARING UPON THE WANTS OF OTHERS. They are "for necessary wants."
1. Not to atone for sin, or recommend us as sinners to God's favor.
2. But to glorify God by doing for others what he so abundantly does for us. By adorning the doctrine of Christ by our beneficence; by putting to silence the gainsaying of foolish men, because they see we are "not unfruitful." We are thus seen to be trees of righteousness, bearing all manner of fruits. It is an interesting fact that, in the last inspired teachings of the apostle, he should have eight times enforced the duty of maintaining good works.—T.C.