“God loves a rich cheerful giver.”  (I added something in there.)  Good works have to be out of a proper spirit and attitude to be good in the eyes of God.  They have to originate by the Holy Spirit, because they came to Jesus and said, “Good Master.”  He said, “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God.”  So, good works are those initiated by God.  And, they are also not only initiated, but then God facilitates it so that these things can manifest and come to pass.

In Titus 2:7, it says, “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned…  Sound speech that cannot be condemned.”  He begins to admonish them.  Look down, we’ll go into verse 13.  The encouragement to be “looking for that blessed hope, the return of the Lord Jesus.”  The admonition is that there is to be no, verse 10, “purloining.”  That just means “keeping back to yourself,” but a showing of “good faith.”  Verse 11, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”  “A peculiar people.”

Peculiar, means “to be marked off, to be set off” for the use of His glory alone.  It runs in conjunction with our understanding of what holiness is, an item that was to be used exclusively for God.  He’s admonishing us to receive this particular ministry that we would see that’s our role, to be that special people “zealous of good works.”  He says to Titus, “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.  Let no man despise thee.”

There are a lot of people professing Jesus that just think they can live any way they want.  “God will understand.  God, in His love, will overlook it.”  It's a misunderstanding of what grace and mercy are, as it’s held up against God’s justice and righteousness and His holiness.  He makes it clear that we are a people who are to be “zealous of good works.”  He says, “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.”  “Affirm constantly.”  How are your works?  What does your life look like?  Are we honoring Jesus with the decisions we’re making, that people are observing in our lives?  The “good works?”

People are watching us.  Take heed how you’re living.  Be “zealous of good works,” amen?  Let our testimony be the testimony that is irrefutable that “God is in our midst.”