Learning the hard way, it better to "not" think about or put emphasis on our successes with the exception of thanking God for help us to "accomplishing" them. Maybe "accomplishing" is not the right word either because are we really the ones who accomplishes our good works or good deeds?
I think it is far more important to realize we are loved by God regardless of our good deeds. For God loved us before we ever came to him and realized our need for him in our life.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."
That being said, God unselfishly gave of himself. We tend as humans look at our good deeds as "what we can get out of it?" Things like human praise, a pat on the shoulder, a positive image, which on the surface is not bad as long as we are reflecting that praise back to the one who helped us accomplish those "good deeds".
Unselfishly God gives of himself so we who know him should also reflect the same attitude or mindset.
The question we must ask ourselves is: "Are we doing something in God's love or for love of ourselves?"
Self-preservation has only one positive. It helps us come to the end of ourselves. We see that the only way to be saved is giving our life to God who gives our life to Christ who sows into us the importance of the preservation of others not ourselves.
Who really cares and provides for us? We in our human thinking would say "ourselves and our hard work" but is it really us who cares and provides for us? Who created us? Who gave you the talents and interests that you have?
We would love to say it is us, ourselves and are hard work that has gotten us to eternity in heaven but looking at the two commandments that Jesus spoke (which covers the 10 commandments) we know we have not fulfilled those commandments and really deserve eternity in hell. Mark 12:30-31, Deuteronomy 5:1-12
Have we loved the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind and all our strength. Have we loved our neighbor as ourselves?
Have we denied ourselves with all our strength? I say this impossible to do without being empowered by the Holy Spirit, trusting in God and growing in the love of Christ.
Matthew 16:25
| If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. |
Same is true with works and good deeds. Everything done in "self" love is a waste.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21
"Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as 'Lord,' but they won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. On judgment day many will tell me, 'Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized."
Who are they "really" doing these works and good deeds for? Were they looking for direction from the Lord? Were those things done for the love of the Lord and others or for the love of themselves?
Works + self love only suffocates and condemns the soul not to mention makes it nearly impossible to hear Holy Spirit which aids one to love as Christ loves.
Are works important? Yes!
James 2:18 "Now someone may argue, 'Some people have faith; others have good deeds.' I say, 'I can't see your faith if you don't have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds."
It REALLY MATTERS however where your mind is focused.
Righteousness is not something we can attain by works but are "clothed with" as we set our mind on Christ. The flesh and human thinking are fallible and sinful.
God is not fallible but it takes us to realize that it is not us that accomplishes good works or deeds but God working through us via the Holy Spirit.
All peace is lost in the believer if we try to earn our righteousness or salvation through works. All artificial peace is lost and comes apparent when we recognize we aren't going to score points or go to heaven based on anything "we" have done.
We must keep our conscience clear from such human thinking. Salvation is a gift that we must accept entirely through Jesus Christ and through this acceptance come "lasting" works and good deeds.
And please don't limit God by what you think you are capable and not capable of doing.
Work done because one feels obligated may relieve some sort of guilt but does it do anything if not done in the love of Christ?
We must decide why we are doing something. Are we doing something merely because of human opinion or we feel compelled by God to do something? If God has given you a desire to do something do it! If not, you may want to reconsider. What is the root reasoning for doing these works and good deeds? Are you authorized or not?
Remember Christ did not do what humans thought he should do but did what was best for them so they could understand God’s ways were different then man’s ways. Remember however to be considerate and do everything out of love so people will see God’s ways in you and come to know Christ through your example.
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