Why Work If We Are Saved By Grace

Today we continue on the subject of Christian service by asking the question: "What good are our good works?"

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

These verses paint a vivid picture of the marvelous grace of God. If God offers salvation to us as a free gift then why do so many people try to earn their way into heaven by spending there entire lives being good, serving the poor, going to church, reading their Bible, and praying? What good are our works? Do they earn salvation? Do they earn anything at all?

There is a general assumption among much of the world's population that good people go the heaven. But, is this assumption true? Is it true that God uses a giant cosmic scale to weigh your good works against your bad works to see if you should go to heaven or hell?

The Bible clearly answers this last question with a resounding, "NO!" Apart from the grace of God all humanity is eternally damned. And this is rightly so "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:23-24)

So, what about all our good works? Do they earn anything at all? And why should we do them?

All the good works that we could ever do are, in fact, totally insufficient in the there ability to earn our access to heaven. If God did weigh our good works and our bad works on some cosmic scale we would all be in a heap of trouble. The Bible says that "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags." (Isaiah 64:6) The simply fact remains that apart from Jesus Christ we will never be good enough.

There is a great book that I read several years ago on this subject that I highly recommend to you called "How Good is Good Enough" by Andy Stanley. You can check it out and even read some excerpts from it at Amazon.com by clicking here.

For the remainder of this post I would like to share with you what I believe should be the purpose of our Christian service.

Having truly tasted the forgiveness of sins and received the free gift of eternal salvation I believe the natural response of man should then be overwhelming gratitude, faithful service, total surrender, sacrificial love, and unending praise.

The purpose of Christian service is not to glorify or benefit us, but to display God's amazing grace and matchless glory. May everything we do magnify his fame not ours. "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:11)

Additional Scriptures: Colossians 3:17, 3:23, 1 Corinthians 10:31