WCF 16.1
Westminster Confession of Faith
16.1. Of Good Works
Good works are only such as God hath commanded in His holy Word, and not such as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intention.
Proof texts
- Micah 6:8 — [8] He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
- Rom. 12:2 — [2] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
- Heb. 13:21 — [21] equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Matt. 15:9 — [9] in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
- Isa. 29:13 — [13] And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
- 1 Pet. 1:18 — [18] knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
- Rom. 10:2 — [2] For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
- John 16:2 — [2] They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.
- 1 Sam. 15:21, 22, 23 — [21] But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” [22] And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. [23] For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.”
For discussion
- The Assembly cited Micah 6:8 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
- 9 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
- WSC Q85 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
- WSC Q86 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
Read alongside
WSC Q85 · WSC Q86 · WSC Q87 · WLC Q91 · HC Q86 · BC 6.3 · BC 6.4 · BC 6.5 · SC60 5.1 · SC60 5.2 · SC60 5.3 · SC60 5.4 · IAR 5.6 · SHC 5.1 · SHC 5.2 · SHC 5.3
Leader's notes
A Commentary on the Confession of Faith (A.A. Hodge): These Sections teach the following propositions : 1st. In order that any human action should be truly a good work, it must have the following essential characteristics: (1.) It must be something directly or implicitly commanded by God. (2.) It must spring from an inward principle of faith and love in the heart. Works not commanded by God, but invented and gratuitously performed by men, are utterly destitute of moral character, and, if offered in the place of the obedience required, they are offensive. 2d. The effects and uses of good works in the Christian life are manifold, and are such as — (1.) They express the gratitude, manifest the grace of God in the believer, and so adorn the…
An Exposition of the Confession of Faith (Robert Shaw): This section states what is necessary to constitute an action a good work, as considered in itself. It must be such as God has commanded in his holy Word. The law of God is the sole rule of man's obedience, and no action, how specious soever in appearance, can be properly called good, unless required by the supreme legislator. No command of man can make a work good, imless it be, at the sametime, virtually or explicitly commanded by God. Those actions which have no warrant from the Word of God, but are devised by men, out of blind zeal, cannot be reckoned good works. On this ground Christ rejected those services of the Pliarisees, which had no other authority…