Article - Do and Done Doctrine

‘Done’ Doctrine and ‘Do’ Doctrine

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15


The epistles of the New Testament can oftentimes be separated into two categories. They contain those things which God has done for us and the things that we ought to be doing as Christians. It is our responsibility to diligently study the Bible and rightly divide the work that the Lord has done for his people from the works that we are to be engaged in.


The Book of Ephesians contains both ‘done’ and ‘do’ doctrine. The first 3 chapters address what the Lord has done for his people. Chapter 1 addresses the doctrine of predestination. Some will argue that election and predestination is the act of God looking down through time to see who would accept him and choose to serve him in this world. Thus, they try to place this doctrine in the ‘do’ category of Biblical teaching. However, we read in Ephesians 1:3-6, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” The Apostle Paul clearly writes that we were predestinated according to the good pleasure of Christ’s will; not our own. Notice how many occasions God is referenced in this passage. He did all of the work necessary to make us (God’s children) accepted in the beloved. When rightly divided, the word of God unequivocally teaches that predestination is a ‘done’ doctrine.


The new birth, salvation and faith are some other works that were done for us by God through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:1 states, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” In the following verses Paul lists the ways of carnal man. Then, he highlights the source of our new life in verse 5. “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).” The Bible teaches that all men are spiritually dead. They are not merely sick people in need of someone to bring them the medicine of the gospel. They are completely dead to the things of God. Therefore, they cannot do anything to save themselves. However, Paul teaches that as God’s elect we who love the Lord and his word have been quickened (made alive) by the work of God. It is his work that gives us the ability to glorify his name. It is his spirit that enlivens us to the things of God. We observe in Galatians 5:22 that the faith we manifest is a fruit of his spirit. We are saved by the grace of God Almighty (Ephesians 2:8). Ephesians chapter 3 continues expounding the wonderful works of God in our lives and his power to bless beyond all of our expectations.


As we begin reading Ephesians chapter 4, the Apostle Paul begins to admonish Christians about their responsibilities in the service of the Lord. In verse 1 Paul writes, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” Serving the Lord is not to be a trifling endeavor. Paul likens our work in the service of the Lord to a vocation or job. What are we to be laboring for in the Kingdom of God? In the following verses Paul states that we are to walk in lowliness, meekness, and longsuffering (v.2). We are to labor in forbearing one another and work towards peace (v.3). This is easy to say, but challenging to put in practice. Although this is hard work, these principles (and many more) are the things that we are to ‘do’ in our service to the Lord. We are to use the talents that God has given us to edify his people (v.12), and put off corruptible things in our lives (v.22). In the final chapters of Ephesians, Paul instructs us to be followers of Christ and elaborates on how we are to accomplish this task in our families and with those we come into contact with in our everyday lives.

God will not force his people to engage in the ‘do’ doctrines of the Bible. Our disobedience does not undermine those things that he has done for his people. Psalms 89:30-34 records, “If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” We are secure in those things that God has done for us, but when we are disobedient we will be chastened in this world. As Christians we ought to be empowered when we realize that God did the work necessary to save and quicken us. Then, we can go forward and do those things God requires of us. We serve God as a result of what he has done for us, not to obtain eternal life or the new birth.

Michael Green, Jr. is pastor of Palm Chapel Primitive Baptist Church (www.palmchapel.org) in Crestview, FL. Palm Chapel meets every Sunday at 10:30am and Wednesday at 6:00pm. Pastor Green can be contacted at (850) 689-3383 or by email at pastor@palmchapel.org. Pastor Green warmly invites you to come and worship at Palm Chapel Primitive Baptist Church.