We have been dwelling on this point on Sundays: We cannot merit God's grace. That would transform grace into wages - we get what we worked for/deserve. So if God does not want us to approach him with our futile works, what about the works we do for Christ after we become born again?
From the article:
My contention is this: If you’re God’s child in Christ, then God doesn’t view your efforts to please him as filthy rags. Provided those works flow from love for God and neighbor and are guided by God’s Word, the Bible has a much more positive view of them.
We bring our works to God as a pleasing sacrifice! We do so because we are overflowing with his goodness to the point that we cannot do anything other than show his lovingkindness through good works. With our efforts to love him in word and deed, he is pleased, like any good father is pleased with the simple gifts from his children (as crooked and unartistic as those gifts are, they still move a father's heart).
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