Why do we try to do good works after being saved?

Question

I was just thinking about the parable from Mathew where Jesus talks about people working the fields and getting one denarius no matter how long they worked. "The last will be first, and the first will be last." It's an analogy pertaining to being saved by grace. If our good works are equal to the guy who was saved 15 minutes before he died, then what would the point be in doing good works and learning in Christ? I know why I do it, but what are your thoughts.

Answer 1

Well, here i go ....this is going to be kind of long

I have a few reasons why i do good works. It makes me feel good when I do something nice or good for someone else. When I do something for someone I never expect anything back. I never do things for people expecting to get anything in return or to have people notice it. A big reason why i do good works is because it is part of being a good friend to someone. Especially when i want to share God's Word. When I first meet someone and am interested in being their friend I do nice things for them, be a friend to them and whenever they need me I am there (i would have to say that it's not very often that someone really needs me...I really don't have any close friends. But I try to be there anyway. Then if the topic comes up I share my life changing experience and what god has done for me. I never shove it down anyone's throat and I am never pushy. If they don't want to hear about it then I don't further it anymore. But I do pray for them because that is all I can do since i have already planted my seed in them (the Word of God) I don't believe in being pushy at all because that just drives people further away. I still sontinue to do nice things for people though because that shows them that I am sincere and that what I believe doesn't change anything even if they don't believe. But I still do nice things for people because I want to treat people the way that i would want to be treated. I know that people can't go to Heaven just because they do good works. But he does want us to spread God's Word (Jesus) so that is what i do. I haope there are others out there like me. God Bless

Answer 2

God is not a respecter of person. He doesn't care if you were saved 5minutes or 50 years...as long as your heart is turned perfectly toward Him. When we become saved...we become a new creature in Him...we will begin to hunger and thirst for righteousness. He commanded us to go out and witness to lost souls. He told the disciples that they will be fisher of men. The whole purpose of being saved, is not just so that we can go to heaven, but to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ (the will of God). If our hearts are perfectly turned to Him, then we will begin to have His heart and His heart is for us to show love and through love we will do good works. We aren't saved by our works anyway.

I hope this answers your question...I can go on and on!

Be Blessed!

Answer 3

We do not know if the man was saved 15 minuets before he died.That is between he and the Lord. You should do good works everyday as one can fall from grace even after he has become a Christians. God says a look warm Christian is worse than an infidel.

Answer 4

People who do good works with only the goal of being saved are selfish and foolish. Helping your fellow human beings is something everyone should aspire to without counting on some big reward at the end.

Answer 5

I am guilty of over simplifying things.
The best way I know how to explain it is other religions do good works to get to heaven, as Christians we do good works because we are going to heaven.
Share the love of Jesus, and thank Him for His amazing grace.
Amen.
Numbers 6:24-26

Answer 6

i think that for each person it means something different...as i grow older, i try not to look at life and it's lessons through the eyes of religion...i have my own religious beliefs, but i also understand that there are so many people out there who believe differently than what i do...and even so, in the end we all seek the same...

i hope that everyone at some point is able to see that our time on this earth should be valued...every experience we have should bring us closer to purity of heart...it doesn't matter when we get to that point of clarity, what matters is that we get there before we die in order to be able to get that lights on moment...when we 'get' what life and living is truly about...

Answer 7

First of all you do not try to do good works. Good works is who you are. Why? because you are dead to sin and since the dead cannot sin it is the spirit that is alive to good works.

15 minutes of 50 years, the heart tells the intention, and God ponders the heart. Those that think that they will wait on the 15 minutes, God read your intention when you decided to think that and you cannot fool God.

Answer 8

"we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Eph 2:10

Titus 2:11-14 "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ngodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope— the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

Answer 9

Salvation is a unfastened present, no longer in step with something we do, yet on the saving grace of God with the aid of Christ... we can not declare any area in salvation. good works are info that God has despatched His Holy Spirit to stay and artwork interior of us.

Answer 10

once you are saved in Christ you choose to act in a certian way - His way - in love & charity. DOING (action) on His behalf. it's about walking the walk not just talking the talk. we are told that while works without faith are dead, so is faith without works. kind of like when you accept a job - you get hired and then you have to actually participate and preform.