A common question from the antinomian: Why do you do it ..?

Why do you do it .. ?
The churches must know how to answer it. It is just a simple question. But it could create havoc, confusion, and antinomian belief in the churches and believers' lives. It could be said in a critical, condemning, and judgemental tone. Is it always from the mouth of the law preachers, the legalistic people, or the Pharisees? No, contrary to what we think, today it could come out from the mouth of those who think that they have believed right and they are the antinomian.
They will ask, "Why do you do it when Jesus or Paul said .. ?" However, when they ask or criticize, they don't think very far and deep. They don't think scripture; but they would question, criticize, and talk like critical people. Hence, 

When they see the churches doing good or preaching doing good, they will ask the question "Why do you do it when Jesus or Paul said .. ?" 
When they see the churches telling the people to repent and confess sins, they will ask the same question "Why do you do it when Jesus or Paul said .. ?" 
When they see the churches do and teach the law of God, they will ask the same question again "Why do you do it when Jesus or Paul said .. ?" 
When they see the churches telling the people to pray long prayers or pray long in a long prayer meeting, they will ask the same question again "Why do you do it when Jesus or Paul said .. ?" 
When they see the churches doing discipleship and teaching the people to follow the doctrine and principles of Christ, they will ask again "Why do you do it when Jesus or Paul said .. ?" 

If we confront them, they will say, "Of course, we do it, but why do you need to preach and teach it when Jesus told us to preach only Him and Him only? We just do it without anyone teaching us. We will just do charity without anyone telling us to do it too. Hence, there should be No more need for the teaching of the laws. The teaching of the Ten Commandments, laws, principles, repentance, baptism of water, and doing good are all for the people under the law.."
I will tell them, Do you know that you are contradicting yourselves? You know that you need to do it; yet you do not want to teach it? I hope that you said it because you are confused, not because you found it hard to do it, and hence, you tried to confuse others so that no one will think that you can't do it. Do you know why Jesus said that we should do and teach; not teach and do (in the reversed sequence)? It's because we must do it first before we can teach it:

• Mat 5:17-19 KJV  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  (18)  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  (19)  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
• Joh 13:12-17 KJV  So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?  (13)  Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.  (14)  If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.  (15)  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.  (16)  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.  (17)  If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Hence, Jesus has said that we must do it and teach it. Doing good is good, but teaching people to do good could be necessary at times.

For example, most of our children are not that smart. Hence, if our children will just do it without us teaching them or telling them to do it, we are very happy and proud. However, if we see other parents need to teach, tell, and discipline their children to do it, we don't go around criticizing them and saying that they have done something wrong or fail in teaching their children. If our children don't play and run around in the trains, we know that they are well taught. But we don't criticize the parents who need to scold, drag, or punish their children for playing in the trains. They may need to do it because of the nature of their children or the different factors of the situation which we may not know.

Similarly, if we criticize the churches for doing too many teaching or preaching too much on repentance, discipleship, sound doctrine, doing good, loving others, or keeping God's commandments, we could be falsely accusing them, like we accuse the other parents who could not teach better than us. We become more critical, condemning, and judgemental than the law preaches or Pharisees, even though we may think that we  preach grace better than others.


The churches can never be judged or rebuked for doing good
Many still argue, "But didn't  Jesus say, 'Martha, Martha, ..thou art careful and troubled about many things.. Luk 10:41' ? Jesus would not want us to do many things with self-efforts. He just wants us to relax and enjoy His love. He wants us to do nothing and rely on Him totally.. If the churches still doing many thing or preaching and teaching people to do many things, they are rebellious to the Lord. They are keeping the people under the bondage of laws .."
I will tell them, If the churches still do many things or many good works and they are considered as rebellious to the Lord, something is wrong. They are wrong, or you are wrong?  But very likely, you are wrong. It's because, if you say that churches who do good are wrong, you are actually saying that churches who don't do good are right? If you say that churches who don't do good or don't do anything are right, you really need to read your Bible.
So, obviously either you have read the Bible wrongly, or you have read the wrong Bible. If churches don't do good, churches are no different from the synagogues of the Pharisees.

• Mat 7:15-26 KJV  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves... (20)  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  (21)  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  (24)  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: ..

They will say, "But this teaching about doing God's will or doing God's commandment was for the Jews who were under the law because it is part of the sermon on the mount. The sermon on the mount is full of hard sayings or commandments which have become obsolete.. "
I will ask them, How about these Bible verses:

• Mat 24:42-51 KJV  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.  (43)  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.  (44)  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.  (45)  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?  (46)  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.  (47)  Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.  (48)  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;  (49)  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;  (50)  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,  (51)  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Comparing with what the Lord said to Martha and what He said to the churches above, is there a difference? Certainly, the big difference is: When He said to Martha, He preferred her to serve less while He was still in her house, but when He said to the churches, He commanded them to serve more while He was away (or while waiting for His coming). Please think, Which is more relevant to us? Are we 'Martha' or the churches? If we were 'Martha', we ought to stop doing everything and just sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to Him. But, if we are the churches, we do not stop doing what we are doing. We should serve like a good servant until the day He comes.     
Many argue that we don't do and teach doing anything because we are no more under the law. I will ask them, Are the Bible verses in Mat 24:42-5 above for the Jews who were under the law or for us? If these Bible verses were for the Jews or the Pharisees, they would have waited for the coming of the Lord. But, only the believers would wait for the coming of the Lord. This Bible passage is about the second coming of the Lord. If this Bible passage is about the end time or the second coming of Jesus, how can it be obsolete?
So, Jesus will come again. That means, at the moment, He is not physically with the churches. He is not physically with us, like He was in Martha's or Mary's house. Please think, If He is not with us physically, will He say to any of us or any 'Martha' in our churches that we are too careful or troubled about many things or that we have done too many things? No, He would never rebuke any churches for doing too many things or too many good works today. We should continue to do many things and many good works until He comes. We will stop everything, including doing any good work, only when He comes again in the last days. When He comes, no one can work any more, but to receive His rewards or judgement: 

• Tit 3:7-11 KJV  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  (8)  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. These things are good and profitable unto men.  (9)  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  (10)  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;  (11)  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

 

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