If Christians are saved by Gods grace alone, why try to do good works or obey His commandments and teachings?

Answer 1

When we are in Christ and He in us, we are regenerated, renewed, and born again, and this new creation is spiritually minded, whereas the old nature is carnally minded. The new nature is in fellowship with God, obedient to His will and devoted to His service.

And this is his will for us,(Galatians 6:2) “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). If we do these two things, we will be fulfilling all that Christ wants for us to do, “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

Blessings and Happy New Year
Kait.

Answer 2

Few understand that faith is a law. To fullfill the law of faith requires love and love satisfies both the law and the prophets.

To assure the New Testament, Jesus Christ marked the beginning of a new creation in a new kingdom at Calvary. There is no law against the love of God in God's kingdom; which by the power of Jesus Christ can now exist in any human heart that is willing.

The only sin then becomes not disobedience but unbelief and works can and should become part of a new nature; instead of a battle against our old nature under the law of sin and death.

The result of all this is that you take out the trash because you want to; not because you have to. AdoreHim and several others explain it quite well and quite simply. It should set you free in the Holy Spirit from both useless efforts and false or needless preaching.

Finally grace is not only God's o.k. but moreover is God's power. With grace comes the power to live the life of love; one that no man but Jesus has ever managed to perfection. The goal is no longer about doing this or that but living daily to attain to his likeness; in a kingdom filled with like spirits.

Living in and moving towards Christ's perfection keeps us humble. Those who seek their own perfection and engage in constant improvement, enlightenment and denial religion and ministries are doomed to failure.

My direct answer is that belief is obedience. From that point you should not need to TRY to do good works or TRY to obey. Works and obedience flow out of love just like it does for little children who have not been damaged. It is not of our efforts, our will or our mental powers. It is childlike faith.

It is easy to understand that Christians should not be in the camp of Terrorists; but neither should they be found in the camp of Do Gooders. Each camp is but the other pushed to controlling extremes. Both flow from organizations which have no heart, be they religious or criminal. One can turn to the other in an instant.

Finally Scripture notes that we are saved by grace through faith. If you are willing, but do not have enough faith, God will even gift you with faith. Pretty much one sided and not Do Gooder at all. That is why we call it rest.

Answer 3

It's nice when someone does your homework for you. I found the following in the Canons of the Synod of Dort, fifth head of doctrine, rejection of errors, paragraph 6, for those who think it might be praiseworthy to doubt and therefore ask the question you have presented. It rejects the errors of those:

"Who teach that the teaching of the assurance of perseverance and of salvation is by its very nature and character an opiate of the flesh and is harmful to godliness, good morals, prayer, and other holy exercises, but that, on the contrary, to have doubt about this is praiseworthy.

For these people show that they do not know the effective operation of God's grace and the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and they contradict the apostle John, who asserts the opposite in plain words: Dear friends, now we are children of God, but what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he is made known, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure (1 John 3:2-3). Moreover, they are refuted by the examples of the saints in both the Old and the New Testament, who though assured of their perseverance and salvation yet were constant in prayer and other exercises of godliness."

Get it? We are saved by grace, and we do good works and obey His teachings and commandments by grace.

Answer 4

Because it all ties together. You can't take one part of the Bible and say "this is how we are saved" because there are several steps to how we live that determines whether we are saved on Judgment Day and none of us are worthy of being saved at all, thus God's grace will save us if we have done all we can to follow His commands in the New Testament.

Answer 5

Even though good deeds do not save us, we want to do them to honor our God and also because it makes us feel good. There is no pleasure like helping others when we can.

Apart of accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior we also accept His example, and we try to do good even if we do not get credit for it for salvation.

We are not saved by following His commandments, but for they are good we obey them. We all fall short from the glory of God, and we need His mercy and grace to be saved.

Think about the marriage. You would not want to get married just to be married. You want to do all the things that you would have the maximum benefit from your union, not just stay married.

Answer 6

The U in JesUs is YOU!!!

Many never have read the bible, but if you claim to be a Christian they are watching YOU!!!

Being saved is something for self, but God's love is not selfish!

Our FREE choise in serving, is a form of worship to God, and caring for mankind.

What is in our heart comes out of the mouth. Similarly, we work to serve the Kingdom of God out of love and gratitude for the gift of eternal life.

Don't be self centered, give to others.

As Jesus said "When you give, even a glass of water, to the least of these, in my name, you have done it unto me!"

Before U were thought of or time had begun,
God stuck U in the name of His Son. And each time U pray, you'll see it's true,

You can't spell out JesUs and not include U. You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name,

For U, He was born; that's why He came. And His great love for U is the reason He died.

It even takes U to spell crUcified. Isn't it thrilling?!?

He rose from the dead, with U in His plan?

The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew,
and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.

When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension, He felt there was one thing He just had to mention. 'Go into the world and tell them it's true!!! That I love them ALL - Just like I love U.'

So many great people are spelled with a U,

Don't they have a right to know JesUs too?

It all depends now on what U will do,
He'd like them to know,

But it all starts with U.

When Jesus died on the cross he was thinking of you!

Have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year friend,
Michael <><

Answer 7

Yes were are saved by faith alone.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) This verse clearly teaches that point. The reason a true Christian will want to do good works is in the next verse. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10) Do you see! Jesus gave all born again Christians a new heart to want to love others and do good works. Jesus is the one who does the good works through us. If someone says the good works are part of them earnig salvation, then that person is trying to share the glory with God. God does not share His glory with anyone.
If you ask how a person gets born again? Jesus said,“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)
What does it mean to be born again? Jesus said. ““Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3
Do you see we are given a new birth! Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:19-20 God changes use from the inside with a new heart and spirit.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May God Bless all of you this new year!

Answer 8

"why try to do good works or obey His commandments and teachings? "

Because it's what God tells us to do in His word. He tells us to obey His commandments and teachings, and to do good works. The reason "why" is because God tells us to... Humans are made in such a way that, if we're not actively engaged in doing good works, then we've got alot of free time on our hands in which to get into trouble :-)

Answer 9

I don't believe in the idea that everyone will automatically go to heaven if you're 'good.' My personal belief is that you have to be baptized, (in the name of Jesus) repent, and have the holy ghost... But that's just me :)
And as far as having to be a Christian to get into heaven... I am a Christian, but in a way it's a misunderstood title nowadays. I'm not religious, I have a relationship with God... there's a difference :). Unfortunately there's a lot of negativity surrounding Christianity today; mostly because of hypocrisy and other disillusions among Christians... But, to get to the point, 'Christian' is just a title, it doesn't relate anything of how you live your life or the choices you make regarding your walk with God. Once again, just my opinion. :)

Answer 10

Good works and obedience does not save us- only God's grace through the shed blood of Christ am I saved. However, once saved we desire to follow and obey the one that gave His life for us. Grace saved us so that we can do good works, good works does not save.