Good Deeds
Central to a Christian’s walk is good deeds.
From James we learn that if our faith is truly alive, it will produce good deeds. We know from Isaiah that our righteous deeds are empty of salvation power. Ephesians says it is not by works that we are saved. From Matthew we learn that we shouldn’t let our left hand see what we do with our right hand. Lauding our generosity in front of everyone is not Christ-like.
With all this in mind, what motivates good deeds?
If we see a person broken down on the side of the road, what is the motivation to help them?
Do we help them out of a sense of obligation? Or maybe, we help them because it will grant us a reward with God, whether heavenly or earthly?
Authenticity
God desires authenticity.
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” (Romans chapter 12, verse 9)
All that we do must come from a place of authenticity. Ministry, good deeds, loving one another must done with sincerity.
Our relationship with God should be marked with sincerity.
“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea chapter 6, verse 6)
God does not want empty rituals. God wants us to truly acknowledge him as God. To have knowledge of him. Relational knowledge from experience. Not just information or theological knowledge. He wants us to truly know who he is.
The question then becomes how then do we become authentic and sincere in our faith? It is not as simple as turning it on and off. Sincerity cannot be manufactured. That would be the complete opposite of what we want.
“The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (1 Timothy chapter 1, verse 5)
The answer is the changed heart. The Gospel tells us that not only does God save, redeem, justify us, but he gives us a new nature. Peter tells us how we are partakers of divine nature. That divine nature is the reason we can be authentic in all we do.
For our good deeds to flow from a sincere heart, we should remember the spiritual reality that we have been reborn. That a divine nature has been seeded in us and his growing up into maturity as we abide in Jesus.
When that person breaks down on the side of the road, we can spring into good Samaritan mode with joy in our heart knowing that we help people because that’s who we are. We do good deeds not because they are obligatory for a thriving faith, but because God has given us a new nature.
Without the Gospel, good deeds can become burdensome. You feel like you have to do these things. But as the new nature takes hold and you realise who you are in Christ, good deeds will reinvigorate you.
So let us be sincere in everything we do and let us thank God for the new heart that enables this.