ALL ‘Good” Works’ Grow out of Worship

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ALL ‘Good” Works’ Grow out of Worship
This episode spells out the disconnect between believers’ conception of good works and those of unbelievers. Worship of God is the indispensable element of all good works, according to the Scriptures. Believers, because of a cleansed conscience (Hebrews 9:14) and a new heart given at regeneration, aim to worship and serve God, and bring forth “good” works as they abide in Christ. (John 15:5) Unbelievers, even if they accept and adhere to Biblical morals, really don’t have the worship of God in view. The basis for good works or being a good person is often the low standard of not committing felonies and/or adherence to acceptable moral standards as defined by the culture at large. Since morality and “good works” aren’t related to the honor and worship of God, a completely different standard of what constitutes good works predominates among most unbelievers. And, it is typically based on a comparative assessment of oneself in light of others. These differing standards of what constitutes good works help explain the disconnect between believers’ and unbelievers’ conception of good works. The latter part of the episode suggests a different tactic in reaching unbelievers, focusing on using the “worship” standard of good works, instead of morality, untethered to worship of God.

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  • 00:00:35 – Introduction to Good Works
  • 00:01:01 – The Focus of Good Works
  • 00:02:15 – Unbelievers and Their Morality
  • 00:04:01 – Deism and Enlightenment Views
  • 00:06:44 – The Problem with Anthropocentrism
  • 00:08:40 – Understanding the Worship Disorder
  • 00:10:17 – Fixating on God’s Glory
  • 00:11:28 – Becoming Better Worshippers
  • 00:12:49 – Closing Prayer
ALL ‘Good” Works’ Grow out of Worship

Podcast (kingdomquestions): Play in new window | Download | Embed

  • 00:00:35 – Introduction to Good Works
  • 00:01:01 – The Focus of Good Works
  • 00:02:15 – Unbelievers and Their Morality
  • 00:04:01 – Deism and Enlightenment Views
  • 00:06:44 – The Problem with Anthropocentrism
  • 00:08:40 – Understanding the Worship Disorder
  • 00:10:17 – Fixating on God’s Glory
  • 00:11:28 – Becoming Better Worshippers
  • 00:12:49 – Closing Prayer
This episode spells out the disconnect between believers’ conception of good works and those of unbelievers. Worship of God is the indispensable element of all good works, according to the Scriptures. Believers, because of a cleansed conscience (Hebrews 9:14) and a new heart given at regeneration, aim to worship and serve God, and bring forth “good” works as they abide in Christ. (John 15:5) Unbelievers, even if they accept and adhere to Biblical morals, really don’t have the worship of God in view. The basis for good works or being a good person is often the low standard of not committing felonies and/or adherence to acceptable moral standards as defined by the culture at large. Since morality and “good works” aren’t related to the honor and worship of God, a completely different standard of what constitutes good works predominates among most unbelievers. And, it is typically based on a comparative assessment of oneself in light of others. These differing standards of what constitutes good works help explain the disconnect between believers’ and unbelievers’ conception of good works. The latter part of the episode suggests a different tactic in reaching unbelievers, focusing on using the “worship” standard of good works, instead of morality, untethered to worship of God.

Episode Scripture References -

More About This Episode -

Victor Vigorito opens the session by addressing the concept of good works, emphasizing that their foundation lies in worship. He explains that if the goal of good works is to enhance worship and serve the living God, then they must be centered on pure and holy worship of God. Victor argues that true good works glorify God rather than merely being actions directed towards self-interest, which he attributes to unbelievers who often perform good works for personal validation. He highlights that unbelievers tend to have an anthropocentric view where their morality is determined by situational ethics meant to make them feel good about themselves, contrasting this with the biblical understanding of morality defined by God’s standards. Victor discusses the historical context of Enlightenment deism, explaining how supporters believed in God but defined worship through personal virtue rather than focusing on God’s glory. He points out that this anthropocentric view leads to a misunderstanding of worship, as it places virtue above theocentric worship, which should aim to glorify God through service. Throughout the dialogue, he challenges the notion of being “born okay” and asserts that many people believe they are fundamentally good without the need for rebirth in Christ. Victor refers to this as a “worship disorder,” noting that humans naturally turn their focus to themselves rather than to God. Emphasizing the importance of worship, he explains that humans are created to glorify God and that focusing on God allows for a better understanding of sin and morality. He encourages listeners to transcend the worship disorder by centering their lives on glorifying God, which ultimately leads to becoming better individuals.

Key Terms From This Episode -

**Key Points:** – Introductory voiceover invites listener questions about God, the Bible, and faith. – Victor emphasizes that good works are rooted in worship. – Good works should enhance worship and serve the living God. – True good works glorify God, contrasting with self-serving actions typical of unbelievers. – Unbelievers often have an anthropocentric morality based on situational ethics. – Discussion on historical Enlightenment deism and its impact on views of worship. – Rejects the idea of being “born okay”; many believe in their inherent goodness without rebirth in Christ. – Labels the belief in inherent goodness as a “worship disorder.” – Emphasizes humanity’s purpose to glorify God for a clearer understanding of sin and morality. – Encourages listeners to focus on glorifying God to overcome the worship disorder.

Episode Scripture References -

More About This Episode -

Victor Vigorito opens the session by addressing the concept of good works, emphasizing that their foundation lies in worship. He explains that if the goal of good works is to enhance worship and serve the living God, then they must be centered on pure and holy worship of God. Victor argues that true good works glorify God rather than merely being actions directed towards self-interest, which he attributes to unbelievers who often perform good works for personal validation. He highlights that unbelievers tend to have an anthropocentric view where their morality is determined by situational ethics meant to make them feel good about themselves, contrasting this with the biblical understanding of morality defined by God’s standards. Victor discusses the historical context of Enlightenment deism, explaining how supporters believed in God but defined worship through personal virtue rather than focusing on God’s glory. He points out that this anthropocentric view leads to a misunderstanding of worship, as it places virtue above theocentric worship, which should aim to glorify God through service. Throughout the dialogue, he challenges the notion of being “born okay” and asserts that many people believe they are fundamentally good without the need for rebirth in Christ. Victor refers to this as a “worship disorder,” noting that humans naturally turn their focus to themselves rather than to God. Emphasizing the importance of worship, he explains that humans are created to glorify God and that focusing on God allows for a better understanding of sin and morality. He encourages listeners to transcend the worship disorder by centering their lives on glorifying God, which ultimately leads to becoming better individuals.

Key Terms From This Episode -

**Key Points:** – Introductory voiceover invites listener questions about God, the Bible, and faith. – Victor emphasizes that good works are rooted in worship. – Good works should enhance worship and serve the living God. – True good works glorify God, contrasting with self-serving actions typical of unbelievers. – Unbelievers often have an anthropocentric morality based on situational ethics. – Discussion on historical Enlightenment deism and its impact on views of worship. – Rejects the idea of being “born okay”; many believe in their inherent goodness without rebirth in Christ. – Labels the belief in inherent goodness as a “worship disorder.” – Emphasizes humanity’s purpose to glorify God for a clearer understanding of sin and morality. – Encourages listeners to focus on glorifying God to overcome the worship disorder.
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