Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,…. This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed God might be careful to devote themselves to good works. These are good and profitable for everyone….. Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works for pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.” Titus 3:1, 8, 14 CSB https://bible.com/bible/1713/tit.3.8.CSB
In perhaps his final message to his traveling protege pastor and missionary Titus, the Apostle Paul emphasizes the need for the Church to do good works. The Church is to be known for good works. Indeed, this is our history. Hospitals and shelters were started by Christians seeking to do good works. Charity of all kinds has been almost entirely birthed by Christians. Giving has become such a virtue preached for so long by the Church that even pagans participate in collections and charity work to help others. What is the purpose of the good works done by the Church? What was Jesus’ purpose in healing the sick, casting out demons, and feeding the hungry? It was to create an audience for His message. This, too, must be why we do good works. The purpose of God is to seek and save the lost to reconcile all people to Jesus the Savior. This must be the purpose of our good works as well. Full bellies without Jesus still result in an eternity in hell. Fully clothed but without the robes of Christ’s righteousness, it still results in an eternity in hell. Good works are to be a means, not an ends. For pagans, they are the ends, but for Christians, they must be the means for sharing the gospel and calling people to repent and to put their trust in Jesus for obtaining everlasting life. Individually, we must not be known as people who do good but as people who testify to Jesus when they do good. Eternal fruit is rewarded to the Christian who works for eternal good. The kind of eternity a person experiences is determined by a person’s relationship with Jesus Christ. Truly good works lead people to saving faith in Jesus, the Savior of the world.
