WHAT ABOUT MY GOOD WORKS?
Many people believe that God has a balance or a set of scales in heaven. Into one side, He places our good works; and into the other side, He places our evil works. If our good works outweigh our evil works, we will go to heaven. If our evil works outweigh our good works, we will not go to heaven, at least not immediately.
But that is not what God’s Word teaches.
What is a good work according to the Bible?
First, a good work is a work performed in obedience to the Law of God. A good work is not a work which society classes as “good.” A good work is not a work which makes another person happy. A good work is a work which is in harmony with God’s will as that will is revealed in His Law. That Law is summarised in the Ten Commandments. To obey the Ten Commandments means more than outward obedience. Jesus made that very clear in His famous Sermon on the Mount. A man is guilty of murder when he hates another person in his heart and when he curses him with his mouth; a man is guilty of adultery when he lusts after another woman in his heart (Matt. 5:21-28). If that is the standard, our ability to do good works by obeying God’s Law begins to look very uncertain. In fact, it is worse than that: it is impossible for us to do good works by nature. The Word of God says, “The carnal mind is enmity against God [hostile towards God] for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7).
Second, a good work is a work from a good source, namely faith. Jesus speaks about two different kinds of people as two different kinds of trees. A bad tree cannot produce good fruit. First, He says, make the tree good and then it will produce good fruit. We are all evil trees! As evil trees we produce only evil fruit! (Matt. 7:16-20). The Word of God also says that “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). This means that whatever an unbeliever does, even if he is praised to the skies by society, is sin, not a good work! Unbelieving movie stars, rock singers, politicians who give to the poor, who alleviate suffering, who work for the good of mankind are sinning! Does that mean that it would be better for them to ignore the poor, cause suffering and destroy society? No, of course not. That would be greater sin.
The point is: whatever an unbeliever does is sin, and when an unbeliever neglects to perform even outwardly moral acts he sins even more. But, he never produces even one good work which he can place on one side of the heavenly scale.
Third, a good work is a work aimed at the glory of God. The word “sin” in the Bible means a “missing of the mark.” The mark (the goal) of life must be the glory of God. But, we sinners aim in an entirely different direction. Sinners refuse to aim at the glory of God. To aim at the glory of God is consciously to seek that in all things by our thoughts, words and deeds God would be praised. It means that we do not seek our own glory. It means we do not seek the approval of men. It means that the good of our neighbour is secondary to the glory of God. “Whether therefore,” says the Bible, “ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (I Cor. 10:31).
So, if that is the standard for good works, how many good works have you performed? Zero! None!
But, what about the good works of Christians, of those who love God, and believe in Jesus Christ and who are sorry for their sins? Do they not do good works?
They do, but, remember, even their good works are imperfect. How much pride, selfishness and other sins attach themselves to and are mixed with our best works?
That is why good works, even the good works of the best Christian, can never make anyone acceptable to God and earn us God’s favour and a place in heaven.
Perhaps, you think. If I am better than other people, God will have mercy on me. After all, you conclude, I am not a murderer! God does not grade on a curve. He does not reward the best 10% of the human race with salvation, and punish the rest. What grade would you award yourself? 50%, more, less? The requirement is not 95% or even 99%. The requirement is perfection!
Surely that is impossible! Indeed, it is!
What God requires is perfect, lifelong obedience. No man can give Him that. You cannot, and I cannot. In addition, God requires satisfaction for all the good we have left undone, and for all the evil we have done. The penalty for sin is death, eternal death. We cannot pay that either. Can you endure the eternal wrath of God?
That is why God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. Jesus Christ gave God the perfect obedience that God requires, for Jesus never committed one evil act against God’s commandments; Jesus never spoke a God-dishonouring word; and Jesus never had an evil thought. Jesus delighted in God with His whole heart, soul, mind and strength. Throughout His life, and especially at the end of His life, Jesus endured the penalty of death on the cross.
Jesus did not die as an innocent victim, or as a noble martyr. Jesus died as a substitute. When He died, He endured the anger of God against sin, against the sins of all those whom He represented. Now that Jesus has died, and is risen again, God’s justice is perfectly satisfied, and salvation is perfectly accomplished.
God commands YOU and all men to believe in this Jesus Christ, adding this promise, that whoever believes shall not perish but have everlasting life.
This is good news for helpless sinners.