Why Our Good Works Cannot Save us

Back to: Bible Knowledge Primary 1

Welcome back to class.

The bible says our righteousness is like filthy rags before God. Our righteousness refers to the good works like not fighting, not telling lies, not stealing, not abusing others. If we do good things but do not believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour, and washed in the blood, the good works we do are not acceptable before God. Cornelius was a man with good works but for his good works to be accepted by God, God had to send peter to him to explain how to become a Christian and his good works to be accepted.

The Bible teaches that the good works we do cannot make us acceptable to God. Titus 3:5 says, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” So, a Christian is someone who has been born again by God (John 3; 3, 7; 1 Peter 1:23) and has put faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

What You Were Before Jesus

• You were dead in trespasses and sins – In other words you were without life, unaware that your sins separated you forever from fellowship with God.
• You walked according to the course of this world – You followed the crowd, the ways of this world. In today’s age you would be considered as one who is politically correct. Approving what is sinful in the eyes of God in order to make those around you think better of you.
• You walked according to the prince of the power of the air
• You once conducted yourself according to the lusts of your flesh – Before Christ we all acted upon our lusts, fulfilling as Paul states, “the desires of the flesh and mind.”
• You were a child of wrath – In other words you were not living for God and in danger of receiving eternal punishment (separation) from Him.

Quiz

1. What were we before Jesus Christ came to die for us?
2. Can our good deeds or work save us from God’s eternal punishment?

 

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