These actions, guided by the moral and ethical teachings of the Bible, are viewed as tangible expressions of love, obedience and righteousness within the framework of the Christian worldview.
This theological perspective places significance on the transformative power of good works in fostering a life reflective of Christian values.
Christians are often encouraged to love their neighbors, care for the unfortunate, and promote moral values in their communities.
This concept transcends denominational boundaries, reflecting a shared commitment to social responsibility and the pursuit of a virtuous life guided by Christian principles.
The theological understanding of good works continues to be a subject of discourse and interpretation within the broader Christian community.
"[1] Anabaptist denominations teach:[2] ... salvation by faith through grace, but such faith must bear “visible fruit in repentance, conversion, regeneration, obedience, and a new life dedicated to the love of God and the neighbor, by the power of the Holy Spirit.”[2]Obedience to Jesus and other New Testament teachings, loving one another and being at peace with others, and walking in holiness are seen as "earmarks of the saved.
"[6] Peter Riedemann, a Hutterite Anabaptist divine, explained this ontological justification in these words:In the first place, we believe that we have salvation in Christ.
Then through Christ's strength and work in us, our sin was weakened, quenched, put to death, and taken away from us, so that we could live for righteousness.
[7]Christians of the Anabaptist tradition (who teach salvation by "faith that works") have argued that being a disciple of Jesus by careful obedience to New Testament commands (such as the holy kiss, baptism, communion, headcovering, and feet washing), is "crucial evidence that an individual has repented, believed, and yielded to Christ.
On the Protestant side, the historic Thirty-nine Articles (1571) quoted in the Book of Common Prayer contain Article XI which states that "We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by faith and not for our work or deservings" (BCP, p. 870).
"[11] On the Catholic side, the 19th century Oxford Movement re-incorporated a broader understanding of justification into Anglican theology.
"[12] In this way, without denying the justification by faith alone in a particular sense, Anglicans may also affirm the necessity of the sacraments (particularly Baptism) as well as works present in a Christian's life: First, it is the pleading or impetrating principle, or constitutes our title to justification; being analogous among the graces to Moses—lifting up his hands on the Mount, or the Israelites eyeing the Brazen Serpent,—actions which did not merit GOD'S mercy, but asked for it.
Faith working by love is the seed of divine graces, which in due time will be brought forth and flourish—partly in this world, fully in the next.
[18][19] A more recent article suggests that the current confusion regarding the Epistle of James about faith and works resulted from Augustine of Hippo's anti-Donatist polemic in the early fifth century.
One cannot skip from justification of a faith-filled heart directly to the final step of being saved without performing good works and deeds of righteousness.
[25]The Large Catechism specifies:[26] Here, then, we have the Ten Commandments, a summary of divine teaching on what we are to do to make our whole life pleasing to God.
[26]In Lutheran theology, the Smalcald Articles teach that those who commit mortal sin "when they have fallen, lose faith, the Holy Spirit, the grace of God, and life eternal, and render themselves subject to divine wrath and eternal death unless, turned again, they are reconciled to God through faith.
"[27][28] The Reformed principle of sola fide states that no matter what a person's action, salvation comes through faith alone.
This would be impossible if the good works that are the fruit of genuine repentance and faith were unconditionally necessary for salvation.
However, for the vast majority of human beings good works are necessary for continuance in faith because those persons have both the time and opportunity for them.
[36]Bishop Jones concludes that "United Methodist doctrine thus understands true, saving faith to be the kind that, give time and opportunity, will result in good works.
[40] Richard P. Bucher, contrasts this position with the Lutheran one, discussing an analogy put forth by the founder of the Methodist Church, John Wesley:[41] Whereas in Lutheran theology the central doctrine and focus of all our worship and life is justification by grace through faith, for Methodists the central focus has always been holy living and the striving for perfection.
[41]The Coptic Orthodox Church teaches:[42] The absence of good works means that faith is dead and fruitless.