https://odb.org/2024/03/06/good-works-ready
I like this phrase – we can not be saved by our good works, but we are saved so that we may do good works. Salvation is by the grace of God. We are saved by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and by confessing our sins and asking God to forgive our sins. As we repent and turn away from our sins, Jesus brings us into the Kingdom of God as co-heirs to His eternal glory and as children of God. We thus become a part of the family of God, a part of the universal church. Our mission in life here on earth would thus be to serve God and do good. Even though our good works may not save us, as believers and disciples of Christ, we are called to do good works. Doing evil is definitely out of the question – it is as far as the east is from the west.
This fundamental principle of our faith that addresses the age-old question – is salvation just a matter of saying the sinner’s prayer? Is it a question of registering our names in the Book of Life? Once registered, eternally registered? I think not. But I also think that it is neither a question of one day there, another day not there and then there again.
My view is that once we accept Christ into our lives, our names are written in the Book of Life. Then, it is a question of us living a life worthy of His name. Are we on the narrow path that leads to eternal life? Are we on that spiritual trajectory to heaven? Are we on the road of righteousness to salvation? Are we doing good works with our lives? Faith without works is dead. We have to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
Is our love for Christ and God genuine and real? Will we do what’s in the heart of the Father? These are questions that only we ourselves may answer with God. But ultimately, it’s a deep personal decision. Have we given our lives fully to God, or are we still holding back and denying ourselves the opportunity to live in the fullness of His grace and anointing? The more we do His will here on earth, the more we are prepared for our life of eternity.
Ronnie's Thoughts 