Do good works have any value in a Christian’s life if [since] salvation is a free gift?
Answer: Receiving salvation as a free gift includes receiving a new heart as we become new creatures. We can now think, talk, act and love like Jesus. We can now actually do “good works” pleasing to Holy God because we are doing them in the power of the Spirit of Christ.
In fact, Scripture tells us that we are created for Good Works even from eternity past:
- Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
The Christ-follower is commanded to be a Light in this dark world. We cannot be lights without producing good works which impact our fellow human beings.
- Philippians 2:13-15 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
Good works receive, in God’s final allocation of eternal rewards, eternal blessings. But, remember we have no power to do ANYTHING pleasing to God or eternally valuable to our neighbor without loving them with the very love of Jesus Christ.
We CANNOT get the Love of Christ without receiving the Heart of Christ. The heart to be able to love like Christ comes solely as a Gift from God which no man can earn.
We ALL receive the SAME SALVATION through the gift of God but we will receive different rewards in heaven based upon how we have allowed the Spirit of Christ to control and work through us in loving others people.
The child of God, in God’s final allocation of eternal rewards, receives eternal blessings.
But, remember we have no power to do ANYTHING pleasing to God or eternally valuable to our neighbor without loving them with the very love of Jesus Christ.
We CANNOT get the Love of Christ without receiving the heart of Christ. To be able to love like Christ comes solely as a Gift from God which no man can earn.
- Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
We ALL receive the same SALVATION through the gift of God but we will receive different REWARDS in heaven based upon how we have allowed and responded to the Holy Spirit of Christ to control our choices and work through us in loving other people.
All our love to All, In Christ –
Jon + Philis
