Jesus wants man to do good works. He said: I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit.[1] To bear fruit is to do good works: For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.[2] So, although one is in Jesus, if he neglects to do good works, God will remove him.
The necessity of doing good works is dramatically driven home by Jesus in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man: There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side.[3] The rich man did not do anything bad. However, he had the opportunity to do good but neglected to do so. For that, he was being tormented.
Therefore Jesus said that if one has done good he will come out of his grave to the resurrection of life: Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.[4]
Man will be judged by his works. Jesus said: For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done.[5] In Revelation 2.23 God said: And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. In Romans 2:5-10 it is written: But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgement will be revealed. For he will repay according to each one’s deeds: to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honour and immortality, he will give eternal life; while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honour and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. In Revelation 20:11–13 John said: Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done.
To be clear, man is saved not on the basis of his good works. Titus 3:4-5 states: But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2:8-10 repeats this and clarifies that man is saved to do good works: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. Titus 2.14 says that Jesus “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”[6]
In conclusion, doing good works is not the basis for salvation but not doing good works is the basis for removal.
God’s plan for man is for him to be with God in a loving relationship. Doing good works is being with God in terms of behaviour. God loves man and does everything for the good of man: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.[7] So, if man is to be with God, man too must do good works.
How To Do Good Works
The parable of the talents in Matthew 25:23-30 teaches that God gives talents to all and one does good works by using his talent for God. Romans 12.6-8 says: Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. 1 Peter 4.10-11 adds: As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.
A talent that nobody can deny having and which God expects everybody to apply is the ability to make the lives of others better. This is taught in the parable of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25:31-40: ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
[1] Jn 15.1-2. Mt 3.9,10; 7.19; Lk 3.9. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
[2] Col 1.9-10. However, before cutting you down, he will give his servants time to cultivate you to do good works. Jesus told this parable. A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” (Lk 13.6-9)
[3] Lk 16.19-23.
[4] Jn 5.28.
[5] Mt 16.27.
[6] Tit 3.8. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. Gal 6.9-10.And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
[7] Rom 8.28.