The Limitations of Good Works
How good must we have been to become a USA Olympic or Paralympic athlete in 2024? 610 of the 340 million people in the USA made the Olympic team in 2024 (.000179 percent).1
How good do we have to be to earn our way into heaven by our good behavior? “For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are” (Romans 3:20 NLT). That means 0.00 percent qualify.
Salvation is God’s unmerited gift received by grace through faith not the result of works (Ephesians 2:8–9). No one naturally does good without God’s intervention (Romans 3:12). None of us earn heaven by our good works. No good deed earns eternal life (Matthew 19:16). By comparison, making the USA Olympic team was almost a sure thing!
The Necessity of Good Works
The Lucid Air electric automobile claims a range of 512 miles on a fully charged battery.2 If the car shuts down after 85 miles, we conclude the battery wasn’t fully charged. “Salvation” that doesn’t produce good works isn’t genuine. Christians are united with Christ to produce good deeds for God (Romans 7:4). Jesus died in our place to free and cleanse us from our sins and make us His people sold out to do good deeds (Titus 2:14).
Authentic faith produces useful good deeds (James 2:17, 18, 20, 26). Those who do good prove they are God’s children (3 John 1:11).
Professing Christians who live for themselves are detestable, disobedient, and worthless for doing anything good (Titus 1:16). Those who trust in God must devote themselves to doing good (Titus 3:8).
Salvation changes character and conduct and always results in good works. This is so predictable that it’s the basis for God’s judgment. Good works can’t save us, but their absence reveals we’re not saved. Those who repent and turn to God prove it by doing good things (Acts 26:40).
Good people demonstrate good hearts by doing good things (Matthew 12:35, Luke 6:45). Their renewed hearts prompt them to speak what is good and right (Matthew 12:34).
Our goodness comes from God and produces good fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22–23, Matthew 7:17). This fruit identifies us as belonging to God (Matthew 12:33). God will judge those who don’t produce good fruit (Matthew 3:10, 7:19, Luke 3:9, 6:9).
What Good Works Accomplish
Good deeds are always permissible (Matthew 12:12, Mark 3:4)—anytime and anywhere. They spur those who witness them to glorify God (Matthew 5:16). He is the obvious difference-maker when formerly bad people do good things. He deserves the glory for His transforming work.
A doing good deeds life springs from not being concerned for our good but for the good of others (1 Corinthians 10:24). God won’t reward our good deeds done to bring attention to ourselves (Matthew 6:1). The applause, back pats, and verbal commendations we receive are our reward. We disqualify ourselves from more by not giving God credit. See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.
See free spiritual growth resources for Christians at https://www.christiangrowthresources.com.
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