Good Works and Salvation: Evidence of Faith, Not the Source of It
- Jack Selcher
- Feb 21, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Summary
This article explains that salvation cannot be earned by good works but is received by grace through faith alone. However, genuine faith always produces good works as visible evidence of a transformed life. These deeds glorify God, benefit others, and demonstrate spiritual fruit. Empowered by God’s Word and Spirit, believers are called to persist in doing good until the end, trusting God for reward and eternal life.
Good Works and Salvation
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 earns 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 lifestyle 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.
Good Works Embrace Various Kinds of Giving
Learning to do good is a process and includes productively meeting the urgent needs of others (Titus 3:14), varied as they are.
Good deeds include actions and words (2 Thessalonians 2:17). Spiritual purity and cleanness prepare us for every good work (2 Timothy 2:21). Love motivates diverse good works. Our spiritual gifts drive the good works that bear the most fruit. If our gift is teaching, for example, that is where our energy will bring the greatest return.
We Must Imitate Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth went around doing good and healing those the devil oppressed because God was with Him (Acts 10:38). At His Father’s direction, Jesus did many good works (John 10:32).
Like Him, we must love others, hate what is wrong, and cling to what is good (Romans 12:9). We must turn away from evil (1 Peter 3:11) and conquer it by doing good (Romans 12:21). Our sharing generously and giving freely to the poor will be remembered forever (2 Corinthians 9:9).
We Must Do Good to Other Believers
Good deeds meet the needs of other believers who then joyfully thank God (2 Corinthians 9:12). We say what is good and helpful to encourage others (Ephesians 4:29) and creatively think about motivating each other to acts of love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). The believers in Macedonia and Achaia took up an offering to give to the poor believers in Jerusalem (Romans 15:28).
We Must Do Good to Our Enemies
We need God’s transforming power to live differently from our instincts. My initial impulse is to retaliate against those who hurt me. Paying back evil for evil is never appropriate (1 Thessalonians 5:15).
Jesus commanded us to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us (Luke 6:27) and those who don’t do good to us (Luke 6:33). We are to do good and lend to our enemies because we are to imitate God who is kind to the wicked and unthankful (Luke 6:35). We don’t naturally excel in this area. Obedience requires supernatural power.
Wise People Do Good Works
Wise people who understand God’s ways live honorably and purely, love peace, gently yield to others, are full of mercy, and do good works humbly (James 3:13), sincerely and without favoritism (James 3:17). The Kingdom of God is living a life of goodness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
Good deeds include raising children well, living wisely and purely (Titus 2:5), being kind to strangers, serving other believers humbly, being ready to share with and help those in trouble (1 Timothy 5:10, 6:18), using money to do good, being generous to the needy (Hebrews 13:16), and submitting to the government and its leaders (Titus 3:1).
Good Works Earn Rewards
Those who have done good will rise from the dead to experience eternal life (John 5:29). God will give those who persistently do good glory, honor, peace, immortality, and eternal life (Romans 2:7, 10).
Christ will judge and reward us for the good we have done on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10, Ephesians 6:8). God will reward good deeds performed publicly and secretly (1 Timothy 5:25).
God Empowers Good Works
God reveals His goodness by giving rain, good crops, food, and joy (Acts 14:17). Goodness results when the Holy Spirit controls our lives (Galatians 5:22). Gradually, we become more like God in His goodness.
God provides the power to accomplish the good things our faith prompts us to do. That is a life worthy of His call (2 Thessalonians 1:11).
God’s Word Prepares Us to Do Good Works
God uses His word to prepare and equip us to do every good work (2 Timothy 3:17). Those whose lives honor and please the Lord produce every kind of good fruit as they know God increasingly well (Colossians 1:10). Honest, good-hearted people treasure God’s word and patiently produce a huge harvest (Luke 8:15).
We Must Persistently Do Good Works
We must not only do good but also be eager to do good (1 Peter 3:13). But doing good deeds is hard work (Revelation 14:13). Our eagerness can vanish as we become weary and feel like quitting.
When we persistently do good to everyone, especially other believers, God will bless us at just the right time (Galatians 6:9,10) if we don’t get tired of doing good (2 Thessalonians 3:13).
God gave us new life in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things He long ago planned for us (Ephesians 2:10), and sometimes it requires suffering (1 Peter 2:21).
Teachers of Christianity Must Do Good Works
Those who teach God’s word must do all kinds of good works to demonstrate their integrity and seriousness (Titus 2:7). They must practice what they teach. Good must come from their lives (Hebrews 13:7).
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