Often I have had people ask me, "How can I do good works, as God says in the bible?" This is a common question, actually, and the answer is really quite simple. First, let's examine the Scriptures on this subject...

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Verse 2:8 mentions the pivotal element by which all believers are given the power to do good works: grace. Grace describes the undeserved kindness by which salvation is given, but it is also the power-word describing the Holy Spirit's operational means. Grace is a force as well as a favor, a verb as well as a noun.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

Verse 2:10 now gives us the answer to the question How can I do good works...? We are created by God in Christ Jesus so that the ability to do good works is now inherent in us. The genius of God's new creation work in each believer is that He renovates the nature of His redeemed children to make good works a living possibility.

So looking at these verses in this way it is obvious that if a person is truly saved then they will naturally desire to do good works. It isn't something they will have to struggle with or ask God to help them with, because it will come naturally to them through the indwelling force of the Holy Spirit.

God has created in all who believe this desire to do good works in Christ Jesus.

Amen!

I agree with what you are saying here.

"For it is God which worketh in you
both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

Philippians 2:13,

Thank you for sharing. This helps to highlight a key point I've emphasized many times to others.
It is only by admitting our weakness and by allowing God to fill us and instill within us His grace, that we can be strong and do good works.
This chafes some people...rubs them the wrong way. In most societies, we are taught to rely on ourselves for strength and to be proud of our accomplishments. To admit weakness of any kind is to leave yourself open for mocking from others.
But it is only by being humble and open to God's control that we become strong
*hugs*
Have a wonderful day folks!

AMEN!

I hear this a lot—sadly, from other professing believers. "I can do this, because God made me strong enough to do it on my own." Well, you can only do it because God made you strong enough to handle it (1 Corinthians 10:13), but they give themselves the credit, instead of God.

In the past year and a half I've went through more personal growth than I have my whole life (family tragedies, breakup, heartache, etc.) and yet I climbed up out of it all and I'm here now. I could easily say that I did it on my own, but I know better.

We can do things on our own, this is true, but I learned something from Jesus, who being the Son of God would not even accept the word "good" about Himself when someone offered it (Luke 18:19). In everything He did, He always gave all the credit and the glory to God.

In everything give thanks to the Father, acknowledge that you can do nothing on your own (apart from Him) and that it is all for His glory.

Amen.