One risk we face as we become more diligent in our Christian walk is evaluating other people’s behavior and judging their Christian credentials. it is a bit of a paradox that we are first saved through our faith, then we do good works because of our faith, but then we can start thinking doing good is the requirement. It is easy to look at someone else and think “well they don’t go to church every Sunday,” or “they don’t volunteer at the soup kitchen, and think that they aren’t “doing” enough.

Paul writes about this in Galatians 3:11, “So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Doing good works does not save us or get us closer to salvation. God saved us through the gift of Jesus; We cannot save oursleves.

Dear Lord Thank you for saving us as a gift. Help us remember you provided this gift for all who accept it, there may be people who have accepted the gift, but are still working out the changes they need to live out their faith. Help us look at them with love and demonstrate our faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.