Saint Gregory Palamas used the comparison of a lamp in which the oil is good deeds. And the fire of God's love burns on the wick of a person's life as long as it is fed by this oil.
The Venerable Simeon the New Theologian also spoke about this: "Whoever does not do the commandments of Christ, by the measure of inaction regarding the commandments shows also the measure of his unbelief, because according to the measure of unbelief he is also deprived of the grace that stirs one up to deeds according to the commandments and helps in them."
In our day, unfortunately, the doing of good has been largely forgotten. All Christians know that sin is bad and that one must struggle against it. But this is not enough. Scripture says: "turn away from evil and do good" (1 Peter 3:11). It is not enough merely to turn away from doing evil. A Christian must do good to his neighbor for God's sake.
The absence of doing good leads to a person losing the sense of joy in the spiritual life. People come and complain that their spiritual life has grown cold. You ask them: are you doing any good? Deliberately and precisely for Christ's sake? They answer: no. And they are even surprised, as if hearing this for the first time in their lives.
Usually, people think that they must wait for the Lord to send a special opportunity to do a good deed. But a Christian must create these opportunities himself; he must himself seek what he can do for someone for the Lord's sake. And at the same time, we must dedicate our deeds to the Lord, as the apostle says: "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Colossians 3:17). In practice, it is enough simply to say mentally: "For Your sake, Lord." And expect no gratitude from people at all.
One must seek the opportunity to fulfill this or that commandment, to bring this or that virtue into one's heart. The Venerable Macarius the Great said that virtue, when practiced sincerely, in time brings other virtues into a person's soul.
Saint John Chrysostom says: "Neither Baptism, nor remission of sins, nor knowledge, nor participation in the sacraments, nor partaking of the Body of Christ, nor communion of the Blood, nor anything else can benefit us, if we do not have a life that is right and honest and pure from every sin." And it is impossible to attain a life that is pure and right without the doing of good.