Works (Vol 7) - Goodwin - X - Book I concluded (Of gospel holiness)

Required reading
The Works (Vol 7) by Thomas Goodwin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude Book I (Of gospel holiness) by reading Read Chapters 5, 6 & 7.

My summary
Today we continue Goodwin's exposition of Paul's prayer: 'And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.' (Philippians 1:9-11).

In previous weeks Goodwin has shown that:
(i) graces are the inward springs of holiness;
(ii) the consequents of these springs;
(iii) that holiness be held forth in believer's lives through being blameless.

The third point is now expanded on today by looking at the the idea that Christians are filled with the fruits of righteousness if they are holy.

So in Chapter 5 we see what it is to be filled with fruits of righteousness.

Then in Chapter 6 we are taught what is the kind of these fruits - they are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

And lastly in Chapter 7 we learn what is meant by the words 'till the day of Christ' in reference to these fruits.

What grabbed me
I appreciated the stressing of the need to have fruit that comes from Christ alone: 'Then my actions are fruits of righteousness, whenas I look for all my acceptation of all my fruits of righteousness in Jesus Christ, or when I expect that they should all be accepted of God in and through Jesus Christ, and not as they come from me. Thus our services are expressed (1 Pet. ii. 5) to be ' sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ,' as they are found in him, and as God relisheth Christ in them. I say, when the heart is thus carried out to bring forth fruits of righteousness, though the law be the rule that guideth me for the matter, what fruits of righteousness to bring forth ; yet I say, when they are thus brought forth (for the kind of them)  by Jesus Christ, then they are accepted by God, for God accepted nothing out of the Lord Jesus.'

If my fruit is simply my fruit, it is not acceptable before God.  My fruit must be Christ's fruit borne out in me.

Next week's reading 
Commence Book II (Of gospel holiness) by reading Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.