The message of the gospel is often taken the wrong way by those who do not want to believe it. Their typical reaction is that the preaching of grace discourages the believers’ efforts to do good works and encourages sinful living. But this is not the case for those who understand the true gospel. This article outlines three of the many reasons why the believers should be zealous of good works, though they are saved and kept saved by grace through faith alone.
In this Article:
Introduction
This is a follow up article to the previous one, titled 5 Reasons Why You Cannot Contribute to Your Salvation. I strongly suggest that you read the article prior to this in order to better understand the point of this article.
The previous article describes 5 reasons why the believers or anyone for that matter cannot contribute anything to their salvation. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. It is freely and permanently granted when we put our faith in Christ’s redemptive work.
You may be thinking now: “if nothing that I do can contribute to my salvation and my eligibility for heaven, why then should I bother to do any good work? Why don’t I just go around committing as much sins as I can, since I cannot lose my salvation?”
I understand how quickly some people will consider the true gospel as either an encouragement to sin, or a discourage to do good works. That is why in this section, I will give you three important reasons why the Christians must live unto God and not unto themselves.
Why the Believers Should be Zealous of Good Works
1. You Were Saved From Sins
First of all, it was because of our sins that Christ had to die on the cross. And what it means to be saved is that our sins have been forgiven and we will go to heaven when we die. If Christ had to go through the sufferings to save us from sins, it makes absolutely no sense for us to return to them after we have been washed.
Romans 6:1-4 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
The fact that believers cannot lose their salvation is not an encouragement to sin. The freedom available to us in Christ is within the boundaries of what the Scriptures permit. Nowhere in the Scriptures are we taught that it is OK for the believers to continue in sin. Freedom without boundaries is nothing but pandemonium.
2. The Love for Christ Constraineth Us
Secondly, if you’ve ever wondered why you need to serve Christ after being saved, I want you to ask yourself this question: Do I love Jesus Christ?
“Let the love of Christ for you drive the love for Christ in you!” – Anonymous
Christian services do not get the Christians more saved. But we still do them anyways, because we love Jesus and want to worship Him with our lives, or simply live unto Him! Think about His love toward you, “in that while you were yet a sinner, Christ died for you”. The Bible says there is no love greater than this (Romans 5:8; John 15:13).
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
The love for Christ is what drives Christian services. One of the ways we demonstrate that love is by serving, serving the Church of Jesus Christ, serving others, both saved and unsaved. And when you do, be thankful for the opportunity to serve.
3. There are Rewards for Christian Services
Finally, there is a judgment for the believers in Heaven (“the Judgment Seat of Christ”). This judgment is not unto condemnation, but it has a lot to do with rewards.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
All that we do for Christ, for the right reasons (that is, with the right motives), will be rewarded in Heaven. Our works and services here on earth will determine our rewards and position in heaven. The wealth of this world will perish someday, but the treasures of Heaven are everlasting! This is why the believers need to focus less on accumulating the things of the world; and focus more on heavenly rewards.
We’re admonished thus in the Bible:
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Time is running out for us all. Let’s get to work!
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
While you’re still alive now, you’ve got an opportunity to serve Christ and store up treasures for yourself in Heaven. Don’t delay, do it while it’s day, “for the night cometh, when no man can work”. The moment you’re dead, your chance is over. May the Lord help us all!
Thank you for reading.
One of the common objections to the Christian view of salvation, especially in its Reformed expression, is that salvation by grace alone through faith alone leads to moral license. If we can t earn one tiny iota of deliverance from sin by our good works, then why do good at all?
That is exactly the problem addressed in this article. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This is not even a Reformed expression, this is what the Scripture has always taught. So why do good work at all? It’s simple, we do it in response to the salvation which we (who have believed) ALREADY HAVE through faith alone. This article goes into more details.
The truth is that this free salvation does not lead to moral license for the true believers. Instead, it results in total submission to the will of Christ as a result to His love for us which He demonstrated by dying for our sins while we were yet sinners.
“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:6-8.
“And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” – 2 Corinthians 5:15.