Q&A 86 We have been delivered from our misery by God's grace alone through Christ and not because we have earned it: why then must we still do good?

To be sure, Christ has redeemed us by his blood.

But we do good because

Christ by his Spirit is also renewing us to be like himself,

so that in all our living

we may show that we are thankful to God

for all he has done for us,¹

and so that he may be praised through us.²

 

And we do good

so that we may be assured of our faith by its fruits,³

and so that by our godly living

our neighbors may be won over to Christ.⁴

 

¹ Rom. 6:13; 12:1-2; 1 Pet. 2:5-10

² Matt. 5:16; 1 Cor. 6:19-20

³ Matt. 7:17-18; Gal. 5:22-24; 2 Pet. 1:10-11

⁴ Matt. 5:14-16; Rom. 14:17-19; 1 Pet. 2:12; 3:1-2

 

 

By no means.

Scripture tells us that

no unchaste person,

no idolater, adulterer, thief,

no covetous person,

no drunkard, slanderer, robber,

or the like

is going to inherit the kingdom of God.¹

 

¹ 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:1-20; 1 John 3:14