Importance of "good works"
I realize as Confessional Lutherans we uphold the ancient explanation of beliefs called the Athanasian Creed. But its statement, "Those who have done good will enter eternal life, but those who have done evil will go into eternal fire," seems to contradict that we're saved by God's grace, not our works.
Thank you for your question. This statement in the Athanasian Creed often raises questions for Christians who know that we are not saved by our works. The Bible clearly says, "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law" (Romans 3:28). Good works do not save us.
The Bible also clearly teaches that believers will do good works. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:17). Faith must and will bring forth good works.
These works do not save us but show the invisible faith that is in our hearts: "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (James 2:18). Indeed, only believers can do good works in God's eyes. For the Bible teaches "everything that does not come from faith is sin" (Romans 14:23), and "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). Without faith everything a person does is evil in God's eyes.
On judgment day Jesus will point to the good works of believers as evidence that they are believers when he invites them, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat" (Matthew 25:34-35a; see also Matthew 25:35b-40). In the same way, he will send to eternal punishment those whose lives have showed that they lack faith in him (see Matthew 25:41-46).
The Athanasian Creed is speaking in the same way. Only Christians can do good works. Those works show that they are Christians. No matter how good unbelievers seem, they cannot do good works in God's eyes. They can only do evil. Their lack of God-pleasing good works indicates that they are not believers and so they will go into eternal fire.
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