Good Works Are Not Good! · The Disciple Machine

Good Works Are Not Good!

Styx has a song I used to love called “Born for Adventure.” One line talks about being a thief on the highway, coming to steal the rich man’s gold.

When I was young, that kind of restless adventure appealed to me. I wanted excitement. I wanted to chase the world. I wanted to plunder whatever life had to offer.

But thankfully, the Holy Spirit prevented me from becoming that person.

My parents taught me values, and I am grateful for that. But something greater was also at work.

The Holy Spirit.

Whenever I talk about grace, someone usually feels the need to add, “But we still need good works.” I understand the concern, but I also think that response shows how much value the modern church has placed on outward works.

Without Christ, we are not good people.

Isaiah said, “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). Jesus said, “the flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63). That means even things that look good on the outside can still come from the flesh.

I struggled with this in the 90s. The pastors were not preaching a harsh works-based salvation, but there was still a heavy focus on facing sin head-on, improving ourselves, and doing good works. The message often felt like, “Here is how to become a better person.”

But good works are most often just another form of the lust of the flesh. They become a way to feel righteous, prove ourselves, impress others, or measure our own spirituality.

I once knew a man who attended that church. He thought he was going to heaven because of his donations and good deeds. He was involved. He gave generously. People respected him. But when I asked more questions, I realized he was trusting in what he had done, not in Christ.

That is the danger.

Good works often look spiritual while still keeping the focus on us.

Grace brings the focus back to Christ.

We are not saved because we are good. We are saved because Jesus is good. The only truly good person is Christ Jesus. His work on Calvary and His shed blood cover us. We are accepted because of Him, not because of us.

It is a free gift.

Paul said, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

That verse is not simply telling us to go do good works. Walking in the Spirit is not the same thing as building a religious checklist and trying to prove ourselves through outward behavior. It is something much deeper.

It is learning to live by the life of Christ within us.

The Holy Spirit changes us.

The Holy Spirit leads us.

The Holy Spirit produces fruit that the flesh can never manufacture.

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