why worry about what we do when the only thing that counts for our eternal salvation is sincere repentance?

Question

The problem, you see, is that after establishing that we get to heaven by grace alone, not good works, we're left with no incentive to do good works. Why bother when a sincere death-bed prayer (Dear God, I am sorry I've sinned. I am a poor sinner. Please, in the name of your son Jesus Christ, cleanse me of my sins. Amen) gets us into heaven.

After all, we're all supposed to recognize that we're sinners all the time, forgiven only when we ask for it. Good christian work doesn't gain entry into heaven, only repentance for being a sinner. So why worry about what we do when the only thing that counts for our eternal salvation is sincere repentance for being a sinner?

It is a curious thing that Christians do not agree on whether we obtain heaven through grace or through good works, or both. yet all claim to be Christian.

Do I get my choice, or if I guess wrong, do I go to Hell? Obviously some of you believe others claiming to be Christian but whose beliefs differ are going to Hell.

Answer 1

I think you ignored what I said to you earlier, and you probably ignored it since it doesn't fit tidily into what you think is an airtight argument...although your argument is filled with logical fallacies and inexact premises. Any cursory study of rhetoric will illuminate the difficulties with your argument.

The incentive to "do good works" is to allow God to conform my life to Christ's. I "allow" him when I accept his free gift of salvation. When he opens my heart and soul--in addition to my eyes, yes--he shows me the illusion that this world is. The illusion that money will fulfill me, that self-seeking will fulfill me, that power or glory or reputation will fulfill me.... God shows me that what will fulfill me is one thing and one thing alone: God.

And when I offer my life and my will to God to do with as he sees fit, he reveals his will to me and helps me to discern my purpose. Part of his will for me is that I do certain things like help other people. This may be seen as "good work," but it is not good work for the sake of being a work. It is work for the sake of carrying out God's will for me.

And carrying out God's will is wondrous. Whereas carrying out my petty will is to live in impotence, dissatisfaction, and all sorts of ugly, demoralizing crap.

You are presuming that "doing what you want" is a good thing. You are assuming that your paltry, self-centered, petty little wants and desires are good for you, and you are assuming that fulfilling them does something to your soul other than nick away at it inch by inch. You are wrong in these presumptions and assumptions.

But that's okay. You'll find out as you go along. You will find yourself down the road a piece, utterly unfulfilled by the efforts you have made to indulge your whims, and you will wonder what it is you are doing wrong.

What you are doing wrong is refusing to offer your life back to your creator so that he may guide and shape it to suit his good purposes.

Remember this, for when you are at that place--not if, but when--you may have something to do that will nourish you, instead of just one more temporal and demoralizing way to distract you from the massive hole right in the center of your gut.

Answer 2

God knows our hearts...if we keep don't make an effort to try and live our lives better, He will know that we are not true Christians. Just because I tell people I'm the president, if I don't have the actions (and the actual job) to back me up, my words are nothing.

I think that the most important point that people miss with this topic is that Christians need to live their lives as best as they can so that they will be a good example to the rest of the world. If I am a good Christian, honestly trying to love everyone and to live my life for others, people will see that. They might be influenced to do the same, and they might second-think their idea of a Christian, or their non-belief in my faith. Even if they don't, they might repay a kindness that I did to them, and that would make the world a better place.

Answer 3

If you plan to ask for forgiveness at the end and not make any effort to live the way you know you should, you're doing damage all along the way and you're showing bad faith. You're effecting other people and spreading your diseased way of thinking -- which God says is the worst kind of sin. Do you really think a deathbed confession will compensate for that? KNOWINGLY sinning and then asking forgiveness is a lot different than living a sinful life and then coming to the realization that you were wrong. True repentance involves more than saying you're sorry.
God will judge your HEART -- not your ACTIONS.

Answer 4

Read the book of James. He says that faith without works is dead. Not that you won't get into Heaven, but you should be doing good to show the Love of God in you.

Mathew 20:1-16 talks about laborers who worked different amounts of time, but were given the same pay. Even though one is a Christian all their lives, and another makes a bedside conversion, both are given the gift of eternal life.

Answer 5

"Worry" about what we do isn't right. The good works we do should be out of joy, and faith, not duty or obligation. Repentance in key, and so many of us live without it. But after repentance, we become overwhelmed at the forgiveness and love God has for us and want to do good works for Him, that's the incentive.

You are right that there is little or no incentive unless that has happened.

Answer 6

You answered the question yourself. Sincere repentance. Really meaning it.

The person who lives their life as an SOB, then says "oops sorry" at the last moment, do they really mean it? Trying to cynically play a perceived loophole, really sincere sounding here.

When a person sincerely repents, and is sorry. There is also a change inside, which manifests itself in outward acts. That's why "good works" are called dirty rags in the Bible. Doing good just for appearances, or trying to build up holy credit is useless.

Answer 7

Your supposed to follow God's law (10 commandments). And if you go about doing whatever you wish acting like your the boss of everything, then I don't think you'll be sincerely sorry for your sins anyway. The point is that you make an effort to follow God.

Answer 8

Man...you're right good works alone will not earn you a spot in Heaven.

However, if Christ truly resides in your heart, you should be continually striving to be more Christ-like, including doing good works to His glory, not yours.

Repentance is not the only thing "counted" for eternal salvation.

Answer 9

When you kill someone with intent it is murder. By accident it is manslaughter..........! The judge (God) knowing that you did wrong on purpose, expecting no punishement because you can ask for forgiveness at the end, is going to kick your butt down to hell. Of course if you wind up in court for something illegal, you may just wind up in the slammer. "Down under", we call that. I just hope you are not a pretty boy. If you are you will be some big guys "*****". Do not tempt God. Read the sermon from the mount: The Book of Matthew. Do you even know who he is? Grow up!

Answer 10

Why purposely or thoughtlessly displease the One who loves you so much? Wouldn't love for Christ motivate one to good works? Why did James say that faith without works is DEAD? Why ask "WWJD"? It matters, my friend, it matters.
Salvation IS a free gift. Only a fool would give it back through willful transgression. One more question: why did Paul say "I die daily?"
Oh, there are too many texts in the Bible to show that true faith leads to works that please God, unlike the works that people do to try to win His favor. He KNOWS the difference and is not mocked, either by the Pharisee or the fence-straddler. Many blessings to you. Buttercup