Articles
Good Works
Good Works
Matthew 7:21-23 - “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].”
Did you know there is a bad kind of good works? Not everything well-meaning people do is virtuous, not even those things they mean to do to help others.
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus talks about people who claim to do good works by His authority. They told others about Jesus. They cast out devils. They did what they thought were “wonderful works” (Matthew 7:22), but when they appear before the judgment seat of God, Jesus will not reward them for their deeds. Instead He will call their work “iniquity,” which is to say wickedness and lawlessness. From the rest of the passage, it is not hard to figure out such individuals will be stunned.
The problem was Jesus does not know these “workers.” They probably did all these “wonderful works” under their own steam, to make themselves look good or feel important. None followed His narrow way, because He was not their Master.
Today, are you doing good works that will last for eternity, or will even what you mean for good, turn to sand because you lack a relationship with God? We must realize no matter how we act, if we are not working for God, at the end, it will all be worthless.
We need to take time and ask the Lord to help our work be good works as we seek to do His will. We no longer want to follow our own will, but His will.
