Core Value 19: Good Works and Social Concern

God has created his people in Christ for good works, which are to be done in obedience to God’s commandments as the fruit and evidence of a true and lively faith, for the glory of God (Ephesians 2:8–10).

• Therefore we affirm the importance of engaging in good works such as helping orphans, looking after widows, caring for the poor and speaking for the dumb (unborn children) (James 1:27; 1 Timothy 5:3–16; Isaiah 58:6–7; Proverbs 31:8–9).
• We deny that good works are the ground or basis (rather than the evidence) of our salvation (Romans 11:5; Galatians 3:10–14).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How does the opening statement define good works?
2. What are our responsibilities in the good works listed in the affirmation: helping orphans; looking after widows; caring for the poor; speaking for the dumb (unborn children)?
3. What does the denial say about our motivation for doing good works?

THE CORE VALUES OF SOLA 5

• Core Value 1: God-Centredness
• Core Value 2: Logic and Reason
• Core Value 3: Authority
• Core Value 4: Sanctity of Life
• Core Value 5: Marriage and Sexuality
• Core Value 6: Discipline
• Core Value 7: Gender Roles
• Core Value 8: Vocation
• Core Value 9: Racial Harmony
• Core Value 10: Creation
• Core Value 11: Animals and the Environment
• Core Value 12: Pluralism
• Core Value 13: Freedom of Religion
• Core Value 14: Evangelism
• Core Value 15: Sufficiency of Scripture
• Core Value 16: Expository Preaching
• Core Value 17: Genuine Christianity
• Core Value 18: Personal Devotion to God
• Core Value 19: Good Works and Social Concern
• Core Value 20: Autonomy and Interdependency
• Core Value 21: The Unity of the Church
• Core Value 22: Liberty of Conscience
• Core Value 23: Hyper-Orthodoxy

Share this post: on Twitter on Facebook on Google+