Good works?

[manitouscott]

I also have explored and meditated on this issue.
My feeling is that good works can also be very simple and straightforward.
I have found that the encouragement I find in scripture can be transmitted to a perfect stranger by sharing a beaming smile or an extra friendly hello. I have always had a tendency to be impatient with co-workers in the past, yet the Holy Spirit gives me opportunities to do the opposite of my tendencies and maybe offer help to someone who is getting on my nerves at the very moment when I am about to lose my temper.
Giving my wife or child a hug when I am tempted to isolate from them after work. Loving that person behind whatever customer service counter a break and not treating them the way they just treated me.
I wish I ALWAYS did these things, because I do not. But the simplest kindness from a stranger or a loved one in the past has meant a lot to me at the right times.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Tremic. In Matthew 22, verses 35-40, Jesus tells a Lawyer: " The first
and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself."
Then Jesus states this great fact: " On these two Commandments hang all the
Law and the Prophets." God wants our love, freely given and no conditions tagged on. How do we do this? We start by treating all we know and all we meet, as we would love to be treated: kindly and with friendly words, good advice and helpful hands, (if needed) always being a good neighbour.
God sees our sincere efforts, and God approves and blesses us, and God knows also that we Love God, because we are following God`s Commandments to love and care.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also. Jesus told us: " ask and ye will receive," then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with all around us: our neighbour. ( Matthew 7,
verses 7-8) We keep asking and thanking and sharing. We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on loving God
with all our being, and loving our neighbour as ourselves. God made us all in
His image, and we all know the difference between sincere Love and pretence.
A Christian`s strong weapon is Love, it overcomes all enmity and changes all
for the better. All we say or do, all we advocate or stand for, should be from Love and Compassion. Jesus our Saviour will help and guide us, in fact:
Jesus Is The Way. I say this with love, Tremic. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ. P.S. We will find that Love changes people as well, and God wants loving children/sons and daughters.

 

[Tremic]

To all those who took the time and trouble to answer my question about good works......

I've been away from the forum for a little while, but having caught up with the posts replying to me, I have to say that I'm quite overwhelmed by the wonderful posts from my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Thank you so much for giving me all the information I needed. My view of "good works" is so much more clearer now, and I can continue on my journey with a more confident attitude.

God bless you all, and I wish each of you much love and good luck in your individual journeys along the narrow path.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Tremic. Jesus gives us good advice in Matthews 22, verses 35-40:
" The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all our hearts, with all
our souls, and with all our minds. The second is like it: Love our neighbour as ourselves." Then Jesus tells us this great truth: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." What God wants from us
is Love, freely given and no conditions asked. How do we do it?
Start by treating all we know and all we meet, as we would love to be treated,
with kindness and friendly words, helpful advice and always be a good neighbour. God will see our sincere efforts, and God will approve and bless us.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will give us His love, also.( Matthew 7, verses 7-8) Jesus told us to ask, then we receive, and thank God, and share all Love and Joy with all around us: our neighbour.
We keep asking and receiving, thanking God and sharing all with our neighbour. We may stumble and forget, but then we get up and keep loving
and caring. God will know that we Love God, because: we are following God`s Commandments to love our neighbour, as we love ourselves.
God is Love, and a Christian`s strong weapon is Love: love will overcome all enmity, and love will turn everything to the better, Love will even change men
and women, we don`t think of our selfishness, and change slowly but surly,
into the children/sons and daughters, which our Heavenly Father wants to live eternity with. I say this with love, Tremic. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ. P.S. We have years to learn to become as God wants us to be, and Jesus is waiting to help and guide us.

 

[Tremic]

Dear Tremic. Jesus gives us good advice in Matthews 22, verses 35-40:
" The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all our hearts, with all
our souls, and with all our minds. The second is like it: Love our neighbour as ourselves." Then Jesus tells us this great truth: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." What God wants from us
is Love, freely given and no conditions asked. How do we do it?
Start by treating all we know and all we meet, as we would love to be treated,
with kindness and friendly words, helpful advice and always be a good neighbour. God will see our sincere efforts, and God will approve and bless us.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will give us His love, also.( Matthew 7, verses 7-8) Jesus told us to ask, then we receive, and thank God, and share all Love and Joy with all around us: our neighbour.
We keep asking and receiving, thanking God and sharing all with our neighbour. We may stumble and forget, but then we get up and keep loving
and caring. God will know that we Love God, because: we are following God`s Commandments to love our neighbour, as we love ourselves.
God is Love, and a Christian`s strong weapon is Love: love will overcome all enmity, and love will turn everything to the better, Love will even change men
and women, we don`t think of our selfishness, and change slowly but surly,
into the children/sons and daughters, which our Heavenly Father wants to live eternity with. I say this with love, Tremic. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ. P.S. We have years to learn to become as God wants us to be, and Jesus is waiting to help and guide us.

Emmy, I thank you for your obviously heartfelt message. Since I was saved, over a period of time, I found that I was starting to treat people a lot differently than I did previously. I was brought up to be polite to strangers etc., but it's sometimes difficult in one's adult years when life has turned a little more frantic than it used to be!!
So thank goodness for the love of our beloved Saviour and his message to the world. Smiles and handshakes should be the order of the day everywhere, Emmy, but in this sad old world there's no chance of that. So, it's up us Christians to spread a little happiness as and where and when we can!
Can you imagine what it will be like after our Saviour returns? Worldwide happiness and joy. Now THAT will be worth waiting for!!

Thanks again, Emmy, and God bless you and yours.

 

[trulyconverted]

Dear Tremic,

I can see you love to read the bible. After my true conversion - reading the bible also became one of the essential things for me as well.

In addition to what understanding I get from the Spirit when reading the Bible, once, I heard this person says on youtube that good works is equal love. Good works = Love. And it clicked in my head from then on.

Good works is something that we do (which naturally follows after true conversion). And what we need to do is follow the commandments. In the new testament there are two commandments that cover all the commandments. Matthew 22:36-40 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall LOVE the Lord your God ...... You shall LOVE your neighbor as yourself.... "

There is only that to LOVE...

 

[vjcoppola]

Tremic, Good question, and a lot of good answers too but I'll put in my two cents.

As others said, there isn't a list of 'good works'. Jesus gave us this summary of the law:
"Love God with all your heart and mind and love your neighbor as yourself."

If you make this your goal then good works will naturally flow from your life.

 

[asiyreh]

People often use this verse as a rebuke however in the Spirit you may find it helpful to answer this question.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:34-39

 

[ACTRAISEROtto]

Let Good works(I,E clothing the naked feeding the hungry, going that extra mile)
Be who you are, and not something you ''do''.
Because in gods eyes this should be natural compassion , not something we do to earn rewards, or merit in his eyes, when good works become who you are,
Than and only than will your goodwills have moral significant worth in gods eyes.
As long as you belive you are required to because of a ''christian duty'' to do so will they have no moral worth.your intentions must flow from Goodwill
NOT DUTY.(IN other words)

 

[joeboonda]

Let Good works(I,E clothing the naked feeding the hungry, going that extra mile)
Be who you are, and not something you ''do''.
Because in gods eyes this should be natural compassion , not something we do to earn rewards, or merit in his eyes, when good works become who you are,
Than and only than will your goodwills have moral significant worth in gods eyes.
As long as you belive you are required to because of a ''christian duty'' to do so will they have no moral worth.your intentions must flow from Goodwill
NOT DUTY.(IN other words)

Yeah. God loves us unconditionally. We don't have to perform to have that. We are freely loved and saved based on having trusted Christ and his finished work on the cross. No worries of having to perform to be saved or to keep our salvation. That kind of love produces good works in us.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Tremic. Jesus tells us well, in Matthew 22, verses 35-40.
" The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds. The second is like it: Love our neighbour as ourselves." Then Jesus points out: "On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." What does God want from us?
To treat all we know and all we meet, friends or not friends, to treat them as we would love to be treated: with kindness and friendly words, showing love and charity in all we do, or all we say, all we advocate and all we stand for.
God will see our sincere efforts and God will approve and bless us. Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also. Jesus tells us " ask and ye will receive," then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with all around us: our neighbour. Keep asking God, and thanking God, and sharing all around us. (our neighbour) Matthew 7: 7-8.
We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on loving, and sharing our good works. God is Love and God wants loving children/sons and daughters. I say this with love, Tremic. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Tremic]

Dear Tremic. Jesus tells us well, in Matthew 22, verses 35-40.
" The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds. The second is like it: Love our neighbour as ourselves." Then Jesus points out: "On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." What does God want from us?
To treat all we know and all we meet, friends or not friends, to treat them as we would love to be treated: with kindness and friendly words, showing love and charity in all we do, or all we say, all we advocate and all we stand for.
God will see our sincere efforts and God will approve and bless us. Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also. Jesus tells us " ask and ye will receive," then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with all around us: our neighbour. Keep asking God, and thanking God, and sharing all around us. (our neighbour) Matthew 7: 7-8.
We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on loving, and sharing our good works. God is Love and God wants loving children/sons and daughters. I say this with love, Tremic. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

Many thanks, Emmy. In other words, just carry on doing what I was brought up to do when meeting friends or strangers. My parents brought me up to be polite, and yes, it's sometimes difficult when meeting someone one doesn't particularly like, but I'm finding it easier, as time goes by, to be pleasant with such people and come away with a nice peaceful feeling of doing something that might please God.
Thank you, Emmy, from your brother in Christ.
Paul