The Bible teaches that God requires Christians to engage faithfully in good works (Matt. 7:21; 1 Cor. 15:58; Phil. 2:12; Jas. 2:14-26; 1 John 1:7). The Bible teaches that God conditions salvation from sin and eternity in heaven upon faithful obedience to His commands. Can a Christian receive the crown of life without being faithful (Rev. 2:10)? Can a Christian receive eternal life without doing good (Rom. 2:6-10)? Can a Christian enjoy eternal salvation without continuing to obey Christ (Heb. 5:9)? Scripture is clear.
Sometimes there are questions that follow such affirmations from Scripture. Someone might say, “I see what the Bible is saying about doing good works, but how many good works are enough? How can I know if I am doing enough works?”
As humans, it seems natural to want a checklist or a measurement to which we aim and then know that we have “reached the goal” and “done enough” to satisfy the demand. But that’s not how God works. God is not looking to be a certain portion of your life that you can “check off” when you’re done. God wants to be “your life” (Col. 3:4; cf. Phil. 1:20-21).
As you think about “how many good works are enough,” put it in context of the specifics of God’s expectations. God tells us to pray (1 Thess. 5:17)—how many prayers are enough? God tells us to study the Bible (2 Tim. 2:15)—how much studying is enough? God tells us to sing songs to Him and one another (Eph. 5:19)—how many songs are enough? God tells us to give as we have been prospered (1 Cor. 16:1-2)—how much giving is enough? God tells us to preach the gospel to lost souls (Mark 16:15)—how many people are enough? God tells us to encourage one another (1 Thess. 5:11)—how much encouragement is enough? God tells us to stir up one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:24)—how much stirring is enough? God tells us to restore erring brethren (Gal. 6:1)—how many restorations is enough? God tells us to visit and help widows (Jas. 1:27)—how much visiting is enough? God tells us to assemble with the saints (Heb. 10:25)—how much assembling is enough? God tells us to do good unto all (Gal. 6:10)—how much doing good is enough?
You see, the Christian life is not about a checklist or a measurement of “how much” is “enough.” It’s about a life that we live. Peter summarized the life of Jesus by saying that He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). What is the summary of my life? Is it the “good works” for which I have been “created in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:10), as I live this new life for Him (Rom. 6:4; 2 Cor. 5:17)? Is it going the extra mile for Christ and doing “more” for Him (Matt. 5:41-48)—not because I have to, but because I want to? Has God ever looked at me and asked, “How much is enough for Me to do for him?”