I Had A Dream

When I was a believer, the church did for you, congregants did for each other. Almost 24 years ago, during the early days of the internet, I did online counseling, including youths, in one of my chatrooms. One girl about 14 private messaged me in tears, asking me for help and advice in what to do. Her parents were abusing her pretty bad and her preacher refused to get involved, telling her to deal with it until she turned 18 and could move away, and pretty much intoned that she was pretty much in part to blame for her abuse, indicating the was rebellious and deserved the discipline. I encouraged her to contact a social worker, and I didn't hear from her for about a month. She did what I advised and her parents were arrested and she was placed in emergency foster care. It actually hit their local news and was reported and her church's regional conference fired the preacher for refusing to help. This was back in 1996.

8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph.2

You're right we would all be lost. No matter how much good we do it doesn't assist us in salvation, but it does let the world see your goodness and glorify God. Anything that isn't done for Gods glory is vain wether it be good or bad. Wood, hay and stubble vs gold, silver and precious stones. I think too many people rely on what they do, or at least believe to some extent that their works assist in saving them and without those works they would be lost.