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Does the Fruit of Good Works Prove That Someone Is Saved?
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THE FRUIT OF GOOD WORKS
Does the performance of good works indicate that a believer is saved?
Opposing views will be used to answer this question. Sometimes, different verses will be used to support a perspective. At other times, the same Scriptures will be used, but certain words will be translated differently based on the viewpoint being espoused. These differences in translation will be highlighted in bold text to remind you that the meanings of such will be determined by a church’s theology regarding whatever fruit is being addressed.
Are you ready to proceed?
Let’s go.
●GOOD WORKS PROVE THAT SOMEONE IS SAVED
Let’s begin by taking a look at some verses from the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 5:7-9
7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. NASB
Jesus, during the time that He lived on the earth, i.e., His incarnation, offered up prayers (petitions from a sense of need) and supplications (requests for divine help or protection) with loud crying (the intensity of the [voice,] which is referred to when it is raised by an agony of suffering12) and tears unto the Father who was able to save Him from death (the dread of death on the spot by the intensity of His sufferings and by the power of the tempter, or it might be the dread of the approaching death on the cross13) while He was residing in the Garden of Gethsemane.
8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. NASB
Being God’s Son, He learned (experimentally and practically) obedience (do what God the Father told Him to do) from His sufferings.
9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, NASB
And having been made perfect (having obtained the goal: having died and risen again), He became the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey[this kind of salvation is explicitly contingent on obedience and indeed on obedience modeled after that of Jesus, who also suffered14; it isn’t merely (believers but obedient believers) that shall be finally saved15] Him.
The type of salvation being referred to here isn’t explicit. Some churches would advocate that salvation consists of repenting of one’s sins to God the Father and believing in His Son, Jesus Christ, as who He is and what He accomplished. Others would say that salvation is obtained by the performance of some ritual or good works that merit God’s favor. Whatever salvation message is presented, the consensus is that if a person’s obedience isn’t modeled after Jesus, then it can be assumed the person isn’t saved. Some churches will stress that the obedience spoken of here concerns good works.
Another group of Scriptures that appear to support this reasoning is taken from the book of James. Please turn there.
Suggested Reading: James 2:20-24
The Apostle James was instructing Jews living outside Palestine. By the way, some believe that the author was not an apostle but a brother of Jesus. The topic of salvation/sanctification of works has come to the forefront.
20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? NASB
He states that faith (genuine faith; saving faith) without (that doesn’t produce) works is useless (worthless; has no existence; valueless in the matter of salvation16).
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? NASB
Then he mentions Abraham in this regard. Wasn’t he justified (proved to be righteous before men) by his works (by obedient faith) when he offered his son Isaac on the altar of sacrifice? The answer is yes.
22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; NASB
He further explains that Abraham’s faith was working with his works (true saving faith leads to action17;faith cannot exist without being active in works of righteousness18). Subsequently, by works (obedience to God’s commands) his faith was perfected (because of what he [did, his actions,] he proved that he really believed God19).
23-24 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone. NASB
James concludes by saying, “Do you understand that by works righteousness is demonstrated and a believer is justified (proven righteous), and not by faith (severed from works) only?”
Now let’s take a look at the opposing view.
●GOOD WORKS MIGHT EVIDENCE SALVATION, BUT THEY DON’T PROVE THAT SOMEONE IS SAVED
We’ll use the same Scriptures as above. However, while the translation of certain words will indicate that good works might evidence salvation, the lack thereof doesn’t prove that a person isn’t saved.
Hebrews 5:7-9
7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. NASB
Jesus, during the time that He lived on the earth, i.e., His incarnation, offered up prayers (petitions from a sense of need) and supplications (requests for divine help or protection) with loud crying (the intensity of the voice which is referred to when it is raised by an agony of suffering20) and tears unto the Father who was able to save Him from death (the dread of death on the spot by the intensity of His sufferings and by the power of the tempter, or it might be the dread of the approaching death on the cross21), while He was residing in the Garden of Gethsemane.
8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. NASB
Being God’s Son, He learned (experimentally and practically) obedience (the special course of submission22) from His sufferings.
9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, NASB
And having been made perfect (having obtained the goal: having died and risen again), He became the source of eternal salvation (the one who causes people to be saved forever23) to all those who obey Him (of those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ24).
According to this view, obedience doesn’t refer to someone’s action. Rather, it refers to a person’s response to the gospel of Christ.
Here are some verses that support this perspective. Please turn to 2 Thessalonians.
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, NASB
The Apostle Paul was speaking of a future judgment for those who do not know God(unbelievers). He says what it was that caused them to remain in their unsaved condition, which was that they did not obey (trust) the gospel; i.e., they refused to accept the good news when it was presented to them.
Let’s take another look at the same verses from the book of James that we looked at earlier. Some of the words have been translated differently.
James 2:20-24
The Apostle James was instructing Jews living outside Palestine. By the way, some believe that the author was not an apostle but a brother of Jesus. The topic of salvation/sanctification of works has come to the forefront.
20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? NASB
James states that faith (genuine faith; saving faith) without (that doesn’t produce) works is useless (idle; unfruitful; “inactive,” as the idea here, like money with no interest and land with no crops25).
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? NASB
Then he mentions Abraham in this regard. Wasn’t he justified (declared righteous before men) by his works (by obedient faith) when he offered his son Isaac on the altar of sacrifice? The answer is yes.
22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; NASB
He further explains that Abraham’s faith was working with his works (it was so carried out as to show its legitimate and fair results. This doesn’t mean that the faith in itself was defective before this26). Subsequently, by works (obedience to God’s commands), his faith was perfected (faith finds fulfillment in action27).
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God. NASB
James concludes by saying, “Do you understand that Abraham believed God (he believed in God’s promise to give him a natural son and many descendants?” (suggested reading – Genesis 15:1-6).28 In the Old Testament, trusting in God’s declaration was synonymous with believing in who He is, which was reckoned (imputed; credited to his account) as righteousness (that he was a righteous person).
24 You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone. NASB
And by works he was justified (shown to be righteous), and not by faith (a person is made righteous by what he believes and is declared righteous before men by what they do) only?
To further support the analysis that works evidence faith, but if they’re not apparent, it doesn’t annul it, please turn to Romans.
Romans 4:2-3
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. NASB
The Apostle Paul was addressing a very important distinction in the Christian realm: the relationship betweensalvation and sanctification. He states that if Abraham was justified (received righteousness)by works (his own efforts; obedience to the law of circumcision), he would have reason to boast, but not before (in the sight of) God.
3 For what does the Scripture say? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. NASB
What was it, then, that caused him to be accepted as righteous before God?
It was because he believed in God. He trusted in God and what He promised (that he would be the father of all those who believe and the father of many nations). And it, having believed God [his faith; the non-act (the heart attitude) of trusting God29], was reckoned (put to his account) for righteousness (as one who was admitted to the favor and friendship of God30).
11b …that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them, NASB
18 In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall your descendants be. NASB
As Abraham received righteousness, before being circumcised, by believing, likewise, he became the father, the head and representative, of all those who believe, especially the Gentiles, whose justification before God was not in accordance with obedience to the law of circumcision or to the unveiling of the commands of another law, the Law of Moses.
Good works do not substantiate salvation. However, they do reveal whether a believer depends on the word of God and the indwelling Holy Spirit for guidance and power.31
What’s left is for you to decide whether good works prove whether someone is saved.
With that said, I would like to leave you with a beautiful article about good works concerning someone who has been recognized worldwide as a champion of such. Three stories are mentioned. However, I’m going to include only the first one. Do you recognize the name? Enjoy!
MOTHER TERESA: DOING SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE
Mother Teresa impacted the lives of people around the world, from every walk of life. Here are stories from three Americans who encountered her.
On September 5, 1997, the world lost a true living saint. Mother Teresa touched the lives of millions, often one person at a time. Here are three ordinary Americans who knew her…
It was a fall day in 1968. I had just come off my nursing shift and was on my way to an orphanage in our suburban Dallas neighborhood, where I planned to meet the children I had volunteered to bring home for the holidays. I felt good about what I was doing, but frustrated too. There were so many people who needed help, and I could only do so much.
When I opened the front door of the [orphanage,] I was stunned. A group of kids and several reporters crowded around a small woman in a nun’s [attire]. Mother Teresa! I had just read an article about her. She reached out to touch the cheek of a little girl. Now there’s someone who truly makes a difference, I thought.
I moved closer, drawn in by the force of her personality. Just before she [left,] she turned to me and smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “You look like someone I would like to take back to Calcutta to help in my work.” I laughed and shook my head. “I’d miss my family too much,” I said. She handed me a small red card. “Then write me,” she said, looking intently in my eyes.
At home, I didn’t even change out of my nurse’s uniform before sitting down at the dining room table with my stationery and a pen. I started a letter several times, only to crumple up the paper and toss it away. What do you say to Mother Teresa? Finally, I began by telling her how she reminded me of my own mother. Then the words flowed.
I wrote about my married daughter, my job, [and] even admitted something I had never really admitted to myself: Though I had gone to church regularly since I was a little girl, I had never really felt God’s presence in my life. I didn’t expect a response from her, but it was good to get those things down on paper. I mailed the letter the next day.
A few weeks later, after an exhausting day at work, I got the mail and listlessly shuffled through the letters. I saw one stamped “air mail” and tore it open. It was a simple note from Mother Teresa, thanking me for my letter and urging me to try to connect to God through prayer. “You can get so close to God that nothing can hurt you,” she wrote.
A short while [later,] I wrote back. And so it went. I babbled on about my joys, my troubles, my questions, and she sent short but powerful replies, always ending with “God bless you.” [Gradually,] I learned to share my thoughts with God as openly and comfortably as I shared them with Mother Teresa—a lesson I hadn’t even known she was teaching me.
I asked what I could give her to show how grateful I was. She wrote that she needed nothing, but she knew some little girls who could use dresses. Oh, how perfect, I thought. One of my earliest memories was of my mother teaching me how to work a sewing machine. I filled several boxes with [dresses] and mailed them to Mother Teresa, telling her I wished I could make hundreds more.
Out of her next letter fell a picture of her with two little girls wearing my creations. She wrote, “It’s not how much you do but how much love you put into what you are doing.” [I often thought] of those words after giving up nursing and moving back to Alabama. I focused on helping the elderly. I did their shopping, took them to church [activities,] and administered their medication.
Years passed. I grew older; my grandchildren grew up. But Mother Teresa’s letters continued, as dependable as the seasons. Often when I read her letters—typed on gray, grainy paper, with cross-outs and missed punctuation just like mine—it was hard to remember the woman was a larger-than-life figure for people around the world.
One [day,] I needed more from her than words on paper. I felt overwhelmed by tragedy. My sister had recently died of [cancer,] and another family member had just been diagnosed with a serious illness. All [afternoon,] I cried, searching for the reassurance Mother Teresa said could always be found in God.
At [last,] I called her, not even realizing it was four in the morning there. But when she heard me [crying,] Mother Teresa immediately began praying and continued until I calmed down. “Never be upset with God for what [He] takes away from you,” she wrote me soon after. “There is a reason [He takes anything away, and when He does, He] gives you something to fill that empty place.”
Those words comforted me years later when I realized Mother Teresa’s own health was worsening. In her last letter, a few months before her death, she asked me not to be upset if she didn’t write anymore, saying, “We are all getting old.” I knew that was her way of saying goodbye.
I still carry the card she gave me thirty years ago. Sometimes I open the mailbox expecting to see her familiar handwriting. She was right. The empty place in my heart is [filled by] the reassuring words she once wrote me.
“We don’t die. We just get transferred to heaven and go to work there.” I no longer despair over how little I’m able to do for others. I’ve learned that great impact can come from small gestures—like a simple invitation to write a letter.
—Ruby Steed, Birmingham, Alabama32
Are you ready to learn about the next fruit we’ll be studying, which is the fruit of financial giving?
Endnotes
12Barnes’ Notes.
13Barnes’ Notes.
14Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament.
15Adam Clarke’s Commentary.
16Barnes’ Notes.
17The Bible Exposition Commentary/New Testament.
18Adam Clarke’s Commentary.
19UBS New Testament Handbook Series Pc Study Bible version 5, 2005. BIBLESOFT. WEB.
3 December 2025
˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.
20Barnes’ Notes.
21Barnes’ Notes.
22Vincent’s New Testament Word Studies Pc Study Bible version 5, 2005. BIBLESOFT. WEB. 3 December 2025
˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.
23UBS New Testament Handbook Series.
24The Bible Exposition Commentary/New Testament.
25Robertson’s New Testament Word Pictures Pc Study Bible version 5, 2005. BIBLESOFT.
WEB. 3 December 2025
˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.
26Barnes’ Notes.
27Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament.
28UBS New Testament Handbook Series.
29Jewish New Testament Commentary Pc Study Bible version 5, 1992. BIBLESOFT. WEB.
3 December 2025
˂http://www.biblesoft.com>.
30Barnes’ Notes.
31Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament.
32“Mother Teresa: Doing Small Things with Great Love.” 4 December 2025 .
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