The Book of Confessions - The Presbyterian Leader

THE END OF GOOD WORKS. These same works ought not to be done in order that
we may earn eternal life by them, for, as the apostle says, eternal life is the gift of God. Nor are
they to be done for ostentation which the Lord rejects in Matt., ch. 6, nor for gain which he also
rejects in Matt., ch. 23, but for the glory of God, to adorn our calling, to show gratitude to God,
and for the profit of the neighbor. For our Lord says again in the Gospel: "Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven"
(Matt. 5:16). And the apostle Paul says: "Lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have
been called (Eph. 4:1). Also: "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name
of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and to the Father through him" (Col. 3:17), and, "Let
each of you look not to his own interests, but to the interests of others" (Phil. 2:4), and, "Let our
people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be
unfruitful" (Titus 3:14).
GOOD WORKS NOT REJECTED. Therefore, although we teach with the apostle that a
man is justified by grace through faith in Christ and not through any good works, yet we do not
think that good works are of little value and condemn them. We know that man was not created
or regenerated through faith in order to be idle, but rather that without ceasing he should do those
things which are good and useful. For in the Gospel the Lord says that a good tree brings forth
good fruit (Matt. 12:33), and that he who abides in me bears much fruit (John 15:5). The apostle
says: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10), and again: "Who gave himself for us to
redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good
deeds" (Titus 2:14). We therefore condemn all who despise good works and who babble that
they are useless and that we do not need to pay attention to them.
WE ARE NOT SAVED BY GOOD WORKS. Nevertheless, as was said above, we do
not think that we are saved by good works, and that they are so necessary for salvation that no
one was ever saved without them. For we are saved by grace and the favor of Christ alone.
Works necessarily proceed from faith. And salvation is improperly attributed to them, but is most
properly ascribed to grace. The apostle's sentence is well known: "If it is by grace, then it is no
longer of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. But if it is of works, then it is no
longer grace, because otherwise work is no longer work" (Rom. 11:6).
GOOD WORKS PLEASE GOD. Now the works which we do by faith are pleasing to
God and are approved by him. Because of faith in Christ, those who do good works which,
moreover, are done from God's grace through the Holy Spirit, are pleasing to God. For St. Peter
said: "In every nation any one who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him" (Acts
10:35). And Paul said: "We have not ceased to pray for you . . . that you may walk worthily of
the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work" (Col. 1:9 f.).
WE TEACH TRUE, NOT FALSE AND PHILOSOPHICAL VIRTUES. And so we
diligently teach true, not false and philosophical virtues, truly good works, and the genuine service
Copyright © 1996 by the Office of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (USA)