Good and Profitable


"This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men." (Tit 3:8 AV)

It is a good and faithful minister that constantly reminds his congregation to maintain good works.

When this is done and the appeal is to thankfulness and the love of God, the minister is not preaching works righteousness. Instead, he is being obedient to his call.

This is so transparently good, that only a certain defensive blindness could miss it. It is good for a congregation to have love for each other. It is good for them to protect the reputation, the property, the life, and the joy of other members of the congregation. Just as a person must drive on the right side of the road in America in order to show his love for his neighbor and not imperil life, property, and happiness, so a Christian must maintain good works if he is to be a blessing to his brothers and sisters in the church.

Often churches and communities are dominated by bullies that do not maintain good works. They lord it over others in the congregation by the force of their personality and sometimes by a pretended piety. They intimidate others and impose their will on their churches and their families and friends by bullying tactics--by fear, guilt, and such. They use many different tactics for the rebellious heart is very fertile in such things. Even children are very innovative when they seek methods to circumvent the will of their parents.

The constitutions of the church are designed to protect in biblical ways the rights of all; not only the rights of the members of the church, but the rights of its officers and leaders. If every member of the church is allowed to carry on guerella warfare against the officers of the church, the duty of the officers to obey the scripture quoted above is impaired or obliterated. This is so transparently true that the only reason someone would dissent would be in order to overthrow legitimate government and impose their will on others, contrary to the covenant of the church. In such cases the whole church will suffer.