Have you ever seen the movie, The Terminator? It was one of the most iconic films of the 1980s. The premise of the movie was that machines had taken over the world and wanted to exterminate humankind. When the machines realized that they were going to lose the war, they send a terminator (robot assassin) through the time machine into the past to assassinate the mother of the human resistance leader before he was born. Its creator created the Terminator to hunt and kill humans, and that was the purpose of its existence. Likewise, human beings have a Creator who had a design in mind as He created us, and we are here not without purpose, meaning, and aim. Further, we are superior, valuable, and important to God than a machine with a purpose. As Christians, what do you think is the purpose for which God saved us? Here is a Bible verse that speaks of God’s purpose for saving us:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph.2:8-10)

In these verses, God outlined His purpose for saving us:

• We are “created” for good works – It implies that we have a purpose in life
• We are “saved” for good works – It means that “good work” does not lead to salvation but the fruit of it
• We are to be “in Christ Jesus” for good works – It implies that not every good work is good work to God
• We must “walk” in good works” – It means that not everyone will do good work for God

Eight Biblical Facts about Christian “Good Works”

1. Christian Good Work Ultimately Give Tributes to God

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt.5:16)

2. Christian Good Work Can Be More Effective When Trained and Equipped by God

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim.3:16-17)

”You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38)

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” (2 Cor.9:8)

3. Christian Good Work Ought to be Done with Enthusiasm

“…looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds.” (Tit.2:13-14)

4. Christian Good Work Is About Doing and Continuing the Work that Jesus Did

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.” (Jn.14:12)

5. Christian Good Work Will Be Generously Rewarded

“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.” (Heb.6:10)

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.” (Rev.22:12)

“And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you he shall not lose his reward.” (Mt.10:42)

6. Christian Good Work Can Be Misunderstood or Hated by Some

“Jesus answered them, ‘I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning me?’” (Jn.10:32)

“And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” (Jn.3:19-21)

7. Christian Good Work Will Not End When We Die and Go to Heaven

“And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve him.” (Rev.22:3)

“And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, be in authority over ten cities.’” (Lk.19:17)

8. Christian Good Work Ignored is a Sin before God

“Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (Ja.4:17)

Let me close this lesson with an interesting story I read about “The Pencil.”

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside just before putting it into the box. “There are five things you need to know,” he told the pencil. “Before I send you out into the world, always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.”

• ONE: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand.
• TWO: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.
• THREE: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make. 
• FOUR: The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.
• FIVE: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.

The pencil understood and promised to remember and went into the box with purpose in its heart. Just like a pencil, we need to remember these five things to become the best Christian we can be. We are God’s masterpiece created in Christ Jesus for good works, and when we walk according to the purpose in which He created us, we will please God and be fruitful. So, remember these things:

• ONE: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
• TWO: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time as you go through various trials, but you’ll need it to become a stronger person.
• THREE: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make. 
• FOUR: The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside.
• FIVE: You must leave your mark on every surface you walk through.