The Biblical definition of "works" in Connection with Justification

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:- Mt.15:18-19

Mt.15:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
34 O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
36 But I say to you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.

Works are composed of the "thoughts", words and actions that are all derived from the heart. This definition is demanded by Christ's interpretation of the laws "Thou shalt not murder" and "thou shalt not commit adultery" in Matthew 5. Christ demands that both laws can be violated in "thought" and/or "words" without the action being committed. For example, the thought of lusting after a woman or just the words calling a person a "fool" violates that law in God's sight. even without words or actions and so evil "works" originate in the intent and thoughts of the heart and extend to words and actions.

If "evil"works are inclusive of the intended thoughts, words and actions,then so are "good" works inclusive of thoughts,words and actions. That is why God LOOKS UPON THE HEART as works both good and evil both originate with the intentions of the heart whether or not they are circumstantially permitted to be expressed in words and actions.

All works are either "good" or "evil" in the sight of God, there are no neutral works neither good or evil. Good and evil are MORAL values because the heart is the seat of moral values. That is true of God's heart as much as it is of man's heart as the terms "righteous" and "unrighteous" are moral values descriptive of both God and man.

In Romans 4:1-5 the term "works" is found in connection with the doctrine of justification.It is found in a PRE-covenant context or a context prior to Abraham entering into any covenant relationship with God. It is found in a context that is 430 years before the Mosaic Law covenant context. Therefore, there can be no covenant framework to redefine the term "works" in this passage.It refers to the thoughts, words and actions derived from Abraham's heart before he was justified. It is in this pre-covenant context that Paul deals with "works" "as pertaining to the flesh" rather than works pertaining to any covenant definition of works.

1 ¶ What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, has found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory; but not before God.

Works pertaining as to the flesh refer to the thoughts, words and deeds originating from Abraham's own heart. Paul is using the term "works" as Christ defined works, the thoughts, words and actions that originate from the human heart. In other words, Abraham was not justified by his own MORAL heart based activities.The reason he was not has been already established in Romans 3:9-23. All born of Adam have a fallen nature with evil hearts and their thoughts, words and actions declare that so.

Paul contrasts "works" with "faith" in Romans 3:27 as mutually exclusive of each other in the context of justification as the nature of works (heart originated thoughts, words and actions) by fallen man cannot reverse the condemnation under law (Rom. 3:19-20) and therefore "works" (heart produced thoughts, words and actions) because God's standard of good (the law) cannot justify products of an evil heart as "good." Hence, the phase "works of the Law" refers to the works (thoughts, words and actions) that the Law defines as "good." Paul has proven that the Law cannot make that pronouncement upon any works of fallen men (Rom. 1;18-3:20) as their is "none good, no,not one" because their heart is evil which is spring from which all works originate. He will reassert that truth in Romans 8:7 showing that all who are "in the flesh" cannot please God (Rom.8:8) and that is precisely how Paul defines "works" in Romans 4:1-2 as "pertaining to the flesh."

There is no such thing as non-moral heart. Jesus says, "either make the tree good or evil" meaning there can be no neutral position, the heart is either good or it is evil but it cannot be neither or both.

What is true of man is true of God. God has created man after his own MORAL IMAGE. God has a MORAL heart as "righteous" is a moral value. The law of God proves God has a moral heart as the Law reveals the moral righteousness of God:

Rom.3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Paul is arguing that "now" the "righteousness of God" is manifest in the incarnated Person of Christ (v. 22) as before "now" it was only revealed in the Law of God. The law reveals the heart of God and it is very easy to see if you ask the following questions:

Is God holy? Is the law holy? Is God righteous? Is the law righteous? Is God good? is the law good? Is God just? Is the law just? Is God spiritual? Is the law spiritual? Should we delight in God? Should we delight in the Law of God? Why? The law does indeed reveal the rightoeusness of God as the law can be summarized in one word "LOVE" and is God LOVE?

Now, is "holy" a moral value? Is "righteousness" a moral value? Is "good" a moral value? Is "just" a moral value? Is "love" a moral value? If so, then God's righteousness is a Moral righteousness and if that righteousness is a revelation of HIS HEART then God's heart is a MORAL HEART.

The above is indisputable proof that the law reveals the moral nature/heart of God. Therefore, the issue in Romans 3:24-5:2 with regard to "works" is whether men with evil hearts can be justified before God by the products (thought, words, actions) produced from such a heart "pertaining to the flesh"?

Second, the very term "justify" demands a condemned condition or else there is no need for justification at all. In context, that condemned condition has been spelled out in Romans 1:18-3:20 with regard to the Law of God. Hence, "justify" must be interpreted as a forensic term in a court governed by law where condemnation has been the ruling in that law court. Hence, "justification" has no reality outside this very same law court where condemnation has been the previous verdict. This is God's law court (Rom. 3:19-20) and it is God's MORAL Law that has issued that verdict of "condemnation." Hence, "justify" must be placed within that same law court context or else Paul's whole developmental argument from Romans 1:18-3:20 makes no sense.

Third, the word "works" and phrase "works of the law" cannot be restricted within a COVENANT framework with Israel as Gentiles have already been included in this LAW COURT verdict of condemnation (Rom. 1:18-2:5; 3:9; 19-20 "all the world....no flesh"). Therefore, "works" does not refer to any COVENANT related framework but with Gods universal moral law court framework inclusive of both gentiles and Jews.

Therefore, the "righetousness" that justifies those condemned in this universal law court framework must be a MORAL righteousness because this is a universal MORAL LAW court that issued the verdict of condemnation upon GENTILES as well as Jews thus denying the context is NATIONAL COVENANT context.

The "faith" that justifies is not any abstract faith in God, but God's promise of a redeemer as revealed in the gospel which was preached by all the prophets (Acts 10:43) and preached to Abraham (Gal. 3:6-8):

Rom.3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ to all and on all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus.


Rom. 4:23 ¶ Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.

Christ has satisfied the Law's penalty and standard. He was born "under" the law and kept the law not in order to attain its righteousness as He is righteous by nature and the Law simply revealed it and declared him such. His righteousness is a MORAL righteousness as the Law of God is a MORAL revelation of God's own righteousness. Nevertheless, his life satisfied the law's demand against those it condemned. Therefore, it is the works of Christ - attitudes, words and actions from a righteous heart = His life that substituted the life of the condemned and His death that substituted the life of the condemned that is the good news of the gospel and only object of justifying faith.