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One of the major issues that separates true Christianity from the many cults that exist today, is the issue of good works. The question is: How do good works fit in to Christian beliefs?
Believe it or not, most, if not all, cults differ from Christian teaching on this subject. So what does God want us to know about good works?
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
1 Pet 2:12 having your conduct honourable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Doing good works is an important part of our testimony to others.
Titus 3:14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
Doing good works is what makes us fruitful.
Titus 2:7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
Titus was a church leaders, and it is especially important for leaders to be examples of people who produce good works.
Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
God wants us to carefully practise good works since they are profitable to others.
Titus 2:14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Christ died in order to redeem a people who would be diligent in doing good works.
James 2:17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Genuine faith results in good works.
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
God has already prepared the good works He wants us to do; all we have to do is tap into His perfect plan for our lives.
As we are His workmanship, He has designed us with all the necessary abilities to do exactly what He wants us to do.
Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
It is not possible to get to heaven by doing good works; good works do not cancel out our sins and make us right with God.
James 2:24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
At first, these verses seem to contradict the teaching of Paul that we are justified by faith apart from works.
However, all Scriptures need to be taken in context with other Scriptures.
James 2:22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
James makes clear in this verse that our works make our faith perfect; this word simply means complete.
Faith is only real if it is completed by good works; a lack of good works demonstrates that the faith is not real.
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
This verse contains a clear analogy.
In the same way as the human body contains the human spirit, genuine faith contains the good works that God has prepared for us to do.
In other words, real faith cannot help but produce good works.
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