I think it is correct to state that ultimately the reason we do good works, as we do right and refrain from doing wrong, is because it is the right thing to do. Recognizing that God has sovereignly established what we should do as regenerate creatures we desire to conform to His revealed will. In eternity God in his infinite wisdom and power by His own sovereign will not only exhaustively determined what the created material world would but also determined what would be “right and wrong”. Even in an unregenerated state man has a sense, albeit an imperfect sense, of right and wrong. In an unregenerate state there is usually, at times often, a desire to do good. Those who saved by the grace of God by the power of the of God the Spirit will tend to desire to do good and refrain from evil though they are still not free of the corruption of the fall. A salient point not often pondered by many Christians is that we do not “make points” with God by “good works”. Our Lord succinctly stated “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”. (Matthew 5:48). There is no merit gained in good works for in order to do this the sum total of our life would need to exceed “perfect” which God has established as the minimal standard. To quote John Gresham Mechen " I'm so thankful for the active obedience of Christ. No hope without it." Yet you are wholly correct to call attention to the fact that good works by Christians authenticates the truth of scripture as well as arousing a desire in the lost to know and understand both one’s creator as well as one’s spiritual state. Paul rightly stated "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Romans 10:14) Seen good works is often what motivates them to listen.
Mind blown
I think it is correct to state that ultimately the reason we do good works, as we do right and refrain from doing wrong, is because it is the right thing to do. Recognizing that God has sovereignly established what we should do as regenerate creatures we desire to conform to His revealed will.
In eternity God in his infinite wisdom and power by His own sovereign will not only exhaustively determined what the created material world would but also determined what would be “right and wrong”. Even in an unregenerated state man has a sense, albeit an imperfect sense, of right and wrong. In an unregenerate state there is usually, at times often, a desire to do good. Those who saved by the grace of God by the power of the of God the Spirit will tend to desire to do good and refrain from evil though they are still not free of the corruption of the fall.
A salient point not often pondered by many Christians is that we do not “make points” with God by “good works”. Our Lord succinctly stated “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”. (Matthew 5:48). There is no merit gained in good works for in order to do this the sum total of our life would need to exceed “perfect” which God has established as the minimal standard. To quote John Gresham Mechen " I'm so thankful for the active obedience of Christ. No hope without it."
Yet you are wholly correct to call attention to the fact that good works by Christians authenticates the truth of scripture as well as arousing a desire in the lost to know and understand both one’s creator as well as one’s spiritual state. Paul rightly stated "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Romans 10:14) Seen good works is often what motivates them to listen.