The necessity of good works

Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Titus 1:16 says that there are those who profess to know God, who profess to be Christians, however in their works they deny God. So our good works should keep up with our profession. Churches who proclaim the Good News that our salvation is by faith in Christ, should not just end the message here. They need to preach the message that true saving faith will produce sanctification and good works in the believers’ life.

Recently while reading Paul’s epistle to Titus, I discover many exhortation to good works:

Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Titus 3:14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Is our salvation then dependent on our good works? Paul gave us the answer on the same epistle:

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Salvation is not by any of our works of righteousness, but by His mercy and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. However our good works is the only observable evidence of whether we are following Him or denying Him. That is why Paul wrote in Titus 1:16:“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him”

If good works are important, what are the good works that we should be doing?

Firstly we should get our motive right before doing any good works. Our motive is to love God and love people, and another important motive is we want to humbly obey God.
Having love and obedience as our motive, we will seek to do things that will build up other believers in the faith, by our actions, by our words, by our teaching. By doing so we are doing our good works to extend God’s kingdom. And to unbelievers, we will seek to lead them to know Christ.

Our good works can be very broad and cover a range of activities: it could be teaching in a Sunday school, volunteering to help in your church ministries, it could be offering financial help to others, offering words of encouragement, praying for others, proclaiming to unbelievers the Gospel, being a godly example for others, counseling others who are hurt, lovingly correcting the sins of others…if we have the desire to do good works for God, the Holy Spirit will lead us to the right ministry.

Be motivated by love and obedience, desire to be fruitful to God, and our good works will surely follow.