Doing good works
“Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But— When God, our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.” Titus 3:3-8 NLT
Our life here on earth is not our own. As believers, Christ calls us to deny ourselves, pick our cross, and follow Him.
We are to serve Him. Glorify Him. Proclaim Him. We should devote ourselves to doing good.
Part of doing good is that we are to love and serve others.
These are part of our identifying markers of who’s we are.
“What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” James 2:14-18 NLT
Because of God’s saving grace and mercy, we do good works.
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
God calls us to do some hard stuff, but we are never alone in doing it. The life we live is for Him and Him alone. There is no “me” or “I”. Even when Christ came to earth the first time, He showed us how we should live. Jesus helped many people. He cared for them.
So as we continue to go through life focusing on Christ, let us continue to make sure this extends to others.
Caring for and serving others.
