Are Good Works Necessary?

What about good works? Are they necessary? While no one can be saved by his good works because of the sin and imperfection which permeates all we think, say or do, God does desire and command that we do good works.

The Bible tells us that "we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" (Isaiah 64:6). Even our best intentioned works still come short because of the sin which dwells in us and prevents us from truly loving God with all our heart, soul and mind and truly loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. Thus, our works cannot and do not make us righteous in God's eyes and cannot and do not merit God's favor.

We are righteous and holy in God's eyes, not by our own works, but by the works and merit of Christ Jesus, who fulfilled all the righteous demands of God's law for us and bore our punishment when He suffered and died upon the cross in our stead. Thus, Christ's righteousness is imputed to us through faith and not by works.

Again, the Bible says in Romans 3:21-28: "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

To the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul also wrote: " For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10). Thus, we see that our salvation is entirely of the grace of God, apart from works, from start to finish. Even the faith by which we trust in our crucified and risen Savior for forgiveness and life everlasting is God's gracious gift and not of our own will or decision. Yet, it is God's desire and purpose for us who are saved by grace that we do good works -- that we begin to do those things for which God originally created us and then recreated us in Christ Jesus.

Therefore, we say that good works are not necessary for salvation, but they are necessary because God our Savior commands them. We say that a man is not justified by works, but a man who is justified through faith in Christ Jesus does good works.

And what are good works before God? God reveals to us what He wills and desires of us in His Word. The Bible says: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8). "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:9-11). "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).

The Bible also tells us that "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:6). And Jesus said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). Thus, one cannot live for God or do any works acceptable in His eyes apart from faith in Jesus Christ; for only through faith in Christ can one truly love God and serve Him, and only through faith in Christ is the sin which infects all our works pardoned and forgiven.

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer and also the pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rogers. He may be contacted by email at [email protected]. Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible. Opinions expressed are those of the author.