Where do you stand?

Good Works Vs Dead Works

“Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” John 6:28, 29 ESV

“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.”  Romans 2:6-10

There are so many verses that talk about good works and dead works I could fill  many pages with Scripture. The most frightening for me is:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Matthew 7:22, 23

This is an extremely serious mandate that none of us should ignore.

The first question that could be asked is: “What is God’s will?”  Do you know God’s will for your life? If a believer is doing God’s will, He is doing good works.

Read this verse:

“And, be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2 KJV

and in the Amplified Version it says:

“Do not be conformed to this world-this age, fashioned after and adapted to its external superficial customs. But be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind-by its new ideals and its new attitude-so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you.]

Right away, the verse says “do not be molded or conformed like the world.” The world gives us gigantic doses of everything that God is against on the television. To be fair, there are good things on there too, but; let’s face it, they can be hard to find. That word conform means to comply, to uphold, to agree with, observe or follow. Every time we watch something on television that is against what God stands for, we are conforming to the ways of the world instead of His way. We are in the danger zone of “dead works.”

Further, that verse says we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. When born-again, our first assignment is to grow through the Word of God. A good example could be given in this way: Through gathering faith by growing in the Word of God and accumulated trials of experience, a slow ascent begins as we leave our caterpillar type life and begin to metamorphose into the colorful and beautiful individual butterfly that God planned for us to be since before the beginning of time.

Remember, this all happens by renewing our mind, with the Word of God. This means prayerfully reading and studying the Bible.  A screening and sifting process will happen, by the Word that is stored in your heart; as daily decisions are brought to the table. It is then, that we will know the will of God, because our mind has been renewed. Therefore, again; what is the will of God? To renew our mind. When this happens everything else follows. This is a process of putting off the old man and putting on the new man in Christ.

Good works will always come from a heart that is continually checked and judged by none other than you. For, we will be held accountable for the motive of our actions. 

Most important, we are to be honest in our hearts when we pray, believing and knowing that we have a God who hears us and sees everything we do. He is aware of what we harbor in our hearts. If we are not honest, we deceive ourselves and God’s love is not working inside of us.

Good works is screening and being honest with our true intentions to see if there is any pride in our hearts. This takes time, thought and honesty. Begin to think about “the why” you are thinking or doing a particular thing. Is it for self praise or attention? The Christian walk is not about us, but about the love of God; through helping others. The Bible talks about how knowledge “puffs up.” This does not mean that we are not to study. [Rd. 2Tim. 2:15.] How are we to examine our hearts, unless it be through the Word of God?

Good works come from putting God’s love in everything we do, every motive inside of us should be founded upon His love. We “do it unto Him.” From the seemingly small things like changing a diaper, doing dishes, sweeping a floor or growing a flower to going to work, preaching to thousands or writing a book, our prime motive is suppose to be founded upon faith and love in Jesus Christ and never focused on ourselves.

Our work, whatever it may be; should not be prideful because pride is against the good works of God. Pride always = dead works. It is His love that lifts people up and warms their hearts. We are to give God all the credit for our achievements as it is He who gives us the ability to acquire our knowledge and work. If we are to have pride in anything at all, it is to be prideful over Jehovah God.

He is also a God of:

* Omniscience -   God is all-knowing
* Omnipresence - God is all-present/all-seeing
* Omnipotence -  God is all-power

·        

     We have a God that knows all,

·        Is everywhere and sees all

·        And has unlimited power.

Absolutely, nothing is hid in His sight. He always was and forever will be.  He knows our weaknesses and knows us better than we know ourselves. This is reason enough to not deceive ourselves when we pray.  

Dead works come from a state of mind that is still holding unforgiveness. What is unforgiveness, but a pride filled heart that was wounded because of rejection, betrayal, an unthinking slight or even abuse that has been our misfortune? Everyone has gone through those things. Never think that those around you have not suffered the same consequences, but only in a different way.

The answer is to know how to respond when such things happen. The renewed mind will tell us:”judgment is up to God; not us.” We are only to judge our own hearts, not others. Unforgiveness judges, but love covers a multitude of sins. Who are we to judge others unless we ourselves have not sinned? Therefore, we are to get right with the person we are holding things against. Go to them if possible and make things right. If it is impossible to go to them, forgive them in your heart and then pray asking God to forgive you. How can God forgive us if we are holding unforgiveness in our own hearts?

Dead works also come from a heart that has not been renewed. If our motives are founded through fear, lies, greed and self grandeur, we either have not been born again or have not renewed our minds; because we are not moving in the will of God.

What is the will of God?

Rightfully well, we are instructed to:

·        Not conform to the customs of the world

·        Renew our minds by the Word of God

Only then, will you be able to know His will in your life and flourish in good works instead of dead works.