Good works can be dangerous

A Father says to his child, 'Son if you are good through out the whole month of December, then I will get you what you really want for Christmas'. The child then leaves encouraged knowing that if he is good enough then His daddy his sure to give him his desires. This is often the heart that people tend to have towards God. If you were to ask people today the question that why should God let you into heaven? Most people will say because I am a good person. The reason follows that because they are a good person God ought to give them their Christmas present, namely heaven. Those who know nothing about the bible or about the God of the bible can be forgiven for such ignorance but those who profess to know the God of the bible are at times those who tend to treat God this way.

What I mean is this. Most Christians know better than to say that the reason God should let them into heaven is because of their good works. Most Christians will say it is because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, which is correct and should be applauded. But if you were to watch the way some of us Christians live our lives, it is clear that our mentality is still the one like the child who strives to be good in order to receive his Christmas present. Sure, many Christians may deny this in speech but practically it is clear.

I mean ask yourself this heart searching question? Why do you want to be holy? Why do you really want to do good works? Is it really to bring God glory, or for you to feel good deep down about yourself so that you may have confidence to approach God and thus ask him anything? It seems to me that it is in the moments when we feel that we have done a very good thing that we feel confidence before God. The reason for this is simple, namely, that we are relying our good works rather than the good works of Jesus Christ. Of course there is a place for good works and we should do good works, but good works can be really dangerous when you rely upon it for coming near to God.

It is not only our sins that can undo us but it is also our good works. A person who relies on their good works is really a person who is boasting before God, and that their good works demands his attention rather than his grace and mercy. One way we know we are relying on our good works is to measure how confidence we are when we feel ourselves to be so impure, how delightful we enter into God's presence and really rejoice that it is because of Jesus Christ that we are able to come into his presence. And also when we feel that we are holy, do we mourn the fact of our unworthiness and give praise to Jesus for making us worthy. For some of us this doesn't enter our minds, and that's because we are relying on our good works to some degree. To be free from this notion we ought to always know that it is Christ who is all sufficient for us in all of our conditions. So next time you feel unworthy to come before God because of your sins, it is then that you should come dancing because of the goodness of Jesus. And next time that you feel that you are good enough, repent of such thinking and give praise to God for Jesus who makes you worthy before him. By doing this you are always relying on Christ rather than your emotions or your good works. Remember, good work can be dangerous.

K.Oni