For years, I didn't know that I was raised in a culture that valued people based on what they do rather than on inner character. Man looks at the outward but God sees the heart.
Luke 16:15 "So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God."
Anyone, even an evil person, can do good deeds to impress others while hiding their inner core self.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons God created a salvation message that no one can "do" anything to gain heaven. Our outward actions are not always an indicator of the character of the person.
While it is true that no one is righteous God declared, He is the one who guides and directs us when we are born again.
When we fail and do something that displeases God, it is a sign that there is still sin in our hearts that needs to be dealt with.
For unsaved people, those who were never born again, the focus must be on their sinful nature; as a whole, there is no good in them, even their good deeds are performed for self-interest, and self-promotion of some kind.
For those who have been changed into a new creation, the character has been changed by Christ; He lives in them, and their good deeds count for His glory, not for self-interest.
However, even those who have a new character through Christ can do good deeds God never told them to do; these are not pleasing to God. Only those things we do in obedience to the Holy Spirit will count. All other self-deeds, no matter how good, will be burned away on judgment day because they were done in the flesh and not in the Spirit. They will still be saved because they trusted Christ for salvation, their salvation is secure because it is a free gift without strings but the life is judged based on our rewards not our character.
1 Corinthians 3:14-16 "…14 If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames. 16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?"
1 Corinthians 3:13-14 "his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward."
The good deeds of those who are unsaved will not count at all because their character has not been changed into a new creation, Christ does not live in them, and they do everything for self-exaltation, even if they don't want to admit it.
Far too many Christians worry about their activities as though they have been trained by others to do good things, but instead of seeking Christ for their calling, they throw themselves into the pursuits others think they should be accomplishing instead of seeking the Holy Spirit.
No one else can tell us what to do, they cannot know what God is saying to us, the direction He is taking us personally. Everyone will be doing things as led by the Holy Spirit and some of those things others will not understand.
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