Heidelberg 86 & 87- Gratitude

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

Thoughts: We do good not to be saved, but out of gratitude and thanks to God.  Our good works praise God, assure us, and help our neighbors be won to Christ.  Those who refuse to do good- and live ungrateful lives out of a lack of faith, are not welcomed into the kingdom.  Gratitude is a key response to believing in God.  When you know God you appreciate what He has done, and who He is.  We show gratitude to God by listening to Him and doing His will.  

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to have great gratitude in my heart to you.    

Q & A 86
Q. Since we have been delivered from our misery by grace through Christ without any merit of our own, why then should we do good works?   

A. Because Christ, having redeemed us by his blood, is also restoring us by his Spirit into his image, so that with our whole lives we may show that we are thankful to God for his benefits,1 so that he may be praised through us,2 so that we may be assured of our faith by its fruits,3 and so that by our godly living our neighbors may be won over to Christ.4

1 Rom. 6:13; 12:1-2; 1 Pet. 2:5-10
2 Matt. 5:16; 1 Cor. 6:19-20
3 Matt. 7:17-18; Gal. 5:22-24; 2 Pet. 1:10-11
4 Matt. 5:14-16; Rom. 14:17-19; 1 Pet. 2:12; 3:1-2

Q & A 87

Q. Can those be saved who do not turn to God from their ungrateful and unrepentant ways?

A. By no means. Scripture tells us that no unchaste person, no idolater, adulterer, thief, no covetous person, no drunkard, slanderer, robber, or the like will inherit the kingdom of God.1

1 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:1-20; 1 John 3:14