There’s this fascinating tension in the Christian life that trips up a lot of folks: How do good works come about if we’re not under the Law? It’s not a “do good things so you’re saved” kind of deal, because that’s exactly what grace laughs at. But at the same time, grace isn’t a free pass to slack off morally. How does that even work?
Let’s be honest: the Law, with all its rules and regulations, has always been about boundaries—what you must or mustn’t do to stay in good standing with God. It’s heavy, and it’s death to the soul trying to keep it perfectly. On the other hand, grace is God’s unmerited favor. It’s the kindness we don’t deserve and can’t earn. When you put them side by side, law and grace seem like complete opposites. But here’s the kicker: grace doesn’t just set you free from the Law; it flips the whole game on its head.
Why Good Works Don’t Originate From the Law
Think about this: If your motivation to do good is “I must obey the Law or else,” what kind of energy does that produce? Fear? Obligation? Exhaustion? The Law points out your failures—it condemns rather than encourages. Paul talks about this in Romans 7 when he’s wrestling with trying to keep the Law. It’s exhausting and leads to frustration.
When people say, “Faith without works is dead,” they forget to ask where those works come from in the first place. Under the Law, the heart isn’t actually changed; it’s more like living in bondage hoping you won’t slip up. Hence, “works” under the Law can easily become nothing but dead religious duty, devoid of genuine love.
The True Source of Good Works: Grace
Here’s the radical part: good works arise from grace. Not grace mixed with the Law, but grace alone. That means your ability and desire to do good doesn’t start with a checklist; it starts with God’s mercy reaching into your life and changing your heart. Once God’s grace touches you, it releases a power that makes you want to live rightly—not out of obligation, but out of gratitude.
Paul makes this crystal clear in Ephesians 2:8-10. He reminds us that we are saved by grace through faith, not works, so no one can boast. But then he adds that we were created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand. Those works aren’t the root of salvation; they’re the fruit. The Law demands works as a root requirement for righteousness. Grace produces works as the byproduct of a new nature.
A Changed Heart Over A Checklist
Here’s a question for you: Does the Law ever change the heart? Experience says otherwise. I’ve seen many try hard under laws and rules, only to burn out or grow bitter. Law might teach right and wrong, but it doesn’t transform a person from the inside out.
Grace changes everything because it invites God’s Spirit into our lives. The inner workings of the Spirit produce what the Law cannot—a love-driven desire to please God. Galatians 5 contrasts this directly: the works of the flesh versus the fruit of the Spirit. Notice the Spirit’s fruit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness—things the Law couldn’t generate.
When you fully embrace grace, your life starts looking different not because someone’s watching or because you have to keep a list, but because your relationship with God has shifted. That’s the beauty here: grace is personal. The Law feels impersonal—a set of dos and don’ts. Grace feels like a Father who’s already accepted you and now wants to mold your character.
Grace Produces Motivation, Not Manipulation
Motivation under the Law often veers toward guilt or pride: “I did good, so God must like me more,” or “I failed, so God must be mad.” Grace, however, brings motivation rooted in love and freedom. Imagine living a life where you want to do good because you’ve been given more than you could ever deserve. How powerful is that?
Consider Titus 2:11-14. It talks about how grace teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly desires, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. The great irony is that this teaching doesn’t come through preaching rules, but through living in the revelation of grace.
That’s why Paul could confidently say he delights in the Law of God after the inward man, even while knowing he is not under the Law. Grace liberates you to love the Law as a reflection of God’s character, not as a burden to bear.
What Happens When You Mix Grace and Law?
This is where many grace believers stumble—and opposites attract—but not in a completely harmonious way. When you add law to grace, you end up complicating things. It’s like painting over a masterpiece with dull gray brush strokes. It diminishes the sparkle of the Gospel.
Some churches insist on keeping the Law’s commandments alongside grace, and the result? People oscillate between feeling condemned and trying harder, which leads to legalism or license. Neither honors the heart of the message Christ gave us.
Grace isn’t about throwing away moral standards; it’s about how those standards are fulfilled in a new kind of person—one empowered by the Spirit, not enslaved by guilt. We follow God because we want to, not because we have to.
The Freedom to Serve Without Fear
You ever noticed how when you try to work out of fear, your performance is choked? Grace gives freedom to serve God joyfully. That peace produces good works naturally.
If you want to see grace in action, look at the early church in Acts. Their goodness exploded not because of rulebooks but because the Spirit was on them in power. Their good works were a natural overflow of being changed from the inside.
If you’re confused about how to walk in grace daily, an excellent resource is here with daily encouragement and Scripture reminders from a verse for today. It’s a gentle way to keep your heart tuned to grace instead of law.
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Good works aren’t the price tag we slap on salvation; they’re the bouquet of flowers you find left on the doorstep of a life touched by grace. No more guilt, no more trying to keep law perfectly—just a heart moved by the love and power of God’s unmerited favor. In the end, grace doesn’t abolish moral living; it perfects it by rooting it in relationship instead of rules. That’s a gospel worth living out loudly.