For living the most exemplary Christian life after-on e‘s conversion does not make a person ‘more certain’ .of gomg to Heaven. If a person thinks that living the most consistent godly life will help him along a bit with respect to his salvation, he ‘betrays his lack of belief in Christ’s atonement. Worst of all, l
such good works do not even avail in terms of the life of the Spirit, unless they are done in love.
“It is faith which worketh by love! Gal5:6 which edifies the soul and honours Christ, but that faith which works by fear is of no value. For this reason the person who thinks he could forfeit his own salvation by lack of obedience cannot obey the lord apart from a motive of fear. He may say that he loves the lord but when he knows in his heart of hearts that there is the remotest possibility he could somehow be eternally lost, such good works at bottom are done in fear not love. It is only when a person is absolutely convinced that he is going to heaven when die that a good work is of value…
Thus the great pity for those who do not believe in once saved always saved is that the very works they are trying so earnestly to produce do no help at al.
R.T. Kendall