In case you missed it, R. Scott Clark had a great post Monday at The Heidelblog on question 86 of the Heidleberg Catechism. The question asks,
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?
The answer?
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, so that he may be praised through us, so that we may be assured of our faith by its fruits, and so that by our godly living our neighbors may be won over to Christ.
Read Clark’s commentary at Heidelberg 86: Why Good Works? (2) | The Heidelblog
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I am glad he pointed out that anyone who has actually read Luther can’t accuse him of being antinomian. Still many people do thinking they are super intelligent by throwing around big long words as insults and in the process show how unread they are.
Why good works? Simply because God says so. I need no other reason. Call me simple.
Hello Lindsey, I appreciate that perspective because there is truth in it. My question would be if there is a difference between obeying because God days so out of duty and obeying because God says so out of gratitude. Does the motivation make a difference? I would say yes. Dutiful obedience motivated out of fear or a desire to merit something from God is not the same as obedience from a grateful heart. We can obey God with our actions while our hearts are far from him.