Why are good deeds not enough? (Heidelberg 24)

Having heard that we are made right with God through faith alone, in this session we think about two questions people often ask: why can we not please God through good works? And if our good works don’t earn anything – doesn’t that mean we can just do what we like?

This is such an important issue to be thinking about. If good works don’t earn anything with God, does that just mean we can act however we like? It’s a good question, and it’s one which a lot of people ask.

The Heidelberg breaks it down into three questions:

  • Q62 “Why can our good works not be our righteousness before God, or at least a part of it?”
  • Q63 “But do our good works earn nothing, even though God promises to reward them in this life and the next?”
  • Q64 “Does this teaching not make people careless and wicked?”

I think that final question is the one which people ask – if our good works don’t earn anything, why not just do whatever you like? Why not just live any way you choose? What does the Bible have to say to that question…

Want more?

If you enjoy this, you can do the whole series right here on the website, or on the app (see links on the right hand side of the page). Alternatively, I am uploading them regularly to YouTube and Facebook. All sessions on YouTube are available on this playlist.

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Faith Alone (Heidelberg 23)

In this session we are looking at one of the most fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith – that we are right with God (or “justified”) by faith alone. Not through the good works that we do or by earning in any way.

This is really taking the things we’ve looked at over the past few weeks (the Apostle’s Creed) and asking, “Why is it important to believe all of this? And how do we benefit from it?”

There are three questions in this Lord’s Day:

  • Q59 “But what does it help you now that you believe all this?”
  • Q60 “How are you righteous before God?”
  • Q61 “Why do you say that you are righteous only by faith?”

“Faith alone” is one of the most important topics that Christians can think about – it makes a huge difference to the Christian life. It’s hard to overstate how important it is.

Want more?

If you enjoy this, you can do the whole series right here on the website, or on the app (see links on the right hand side of the page). Alternatively, I am uploading them regularly to YouTube and Facebook. All sessions on YouTube are available on this playlist.

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