Why must we do good?

Why must we do good?
Of course, normal people, including the non-believers, would think that we must do good. We become 'abnormal' if we think otherwise. However, many preachers have influenced the believers to think otherwise, to think abnormally, or to think lawlessly. They would preach and say, "We don't do good get good anymore. Under grace or the new covenant, we don't do and yet we get the good. It means radical grace! Doing good is no longer a must or a command for us; but an option which we will do because of grace and the finished work of Jesus. Hence, teaching people to do good or teaching it as a command of the Lord would be self-effort or law teaching. It is an hindrance which can prevent people from receiving the true grace of God. We should just preach Jesus, confess His beautiful name, think of Him, praise Him, worship Him, and have good opinion of Him. And He would teach us to do everything automatically and supernaturally through dreams, visions, and prompting of the Holy Spirit. In fact, He has done everything for us, including repentance, doing good, and keeping all the laws of God. He has done everything so that He has nothing left for us to do.. Under the new covenant, there is only grace;  no more law, no more commandment, and no more doctrine. Grace is not a doctrine. Grace is Jesus Christ. Grace is the gospel which can meet the needs of the people today because Law demands, but grace supplies .."
 But I will ask them, Did Jesus eat or go to the toilet for you? Obviously, lazy people would push every responsibility to Jesus. But when they fail and sin, they would just say, "It is His problem, not mine". Jesus has never told us that He would do everything for us. On the contrary, He told us to do more than what the Pharisees, priests, or Levites would do:

• Luk 10:29-37 KJV  But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?  (30)  And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.  (31)  And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  (32)  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.  (33)  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,  (34)  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  (35)  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.  (36)  Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?  (37)  And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Please think again, Will Jesus change His mind and tell us that we don't have to do good because we have believed in Him and we are under grace? Certainly not. If we have truly believed in Him, we would all the more do what He said or commanded. However, those who wish to justify themselves would think or behave like the priest, the Levite, or the Pharisees. They would argue that their belief, their mind changing philosophy, their right thinking, their praises, their confession of the blood, their faithful taking of the holy communion, their generous giving to the churches, their faith in the transfer of wealth, their testimony of miraculous healing,  and their good opinion of God would exempt them from doing good to others. They can believe well, so can the Pharisee:

• Luk 18:10-14 KJV  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  (11)  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  (12)  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  (13)  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  (14)  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Many of us think that the Lord rejected the Pharisees because they were not humbled. I will say, Yes, this could be part of the reasons. However, the Pharisees were never the doers of God's commandments too. They could believe well, but they could never do well.)
• Jas 2:19-20 KJV  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.  (20)  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
• Mat 7:21-23 KJV  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
• Luk 6:46-48 KJV  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?  (47)  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:  (48)  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood (false doctrine) arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. (Hence, Jesus said clearly that He would not just want us to have right believing, right faith, right miracles, right preaching, or right confession only; he wants us to have right doing with His words too, because right doing would prove that we are His true disciples on the rock of salvation.)

The serpent will influence us to depart from God's command to do good too
I will show more teaching of the Lord about His commandments to do good later. However, we should think a little deeper now, Have we been influenced by anyone to think that the Lord's commandment to do good is no longer a command for the believers. If you are alert, you would remember that the serpent had influenced Adam and Eve to think that God's command to them was no longer a command for them. The serpent was so good in his ways of speech that he could turn something that is clearly given and perceived as a command from God into something else:

• Gen 2:16-17 KJV  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  (17)  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die... Gen 3:1-5 KJV  Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? ... (4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  (5)  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Hence, I am not surprised that the serpent will tempt us again. Of course, he will only tempt  those who have the words and commandments of the Lord. He will ask again, "Hisss.., Hisss.., Yea, hath the Lord said, Ye cannot do this and that? Did He really really tell you to keep all the laws or commandments of God to do good? No, you have misunderstood Him .. He meant this... this.. you can never fall .. , isn't this too good to be true? , .. I tell you, For God doth know that in the day ye  open your eyes, ye are above His laws and commandments. You can never die. You can never be condemned by His words even if you fall or disobey because .." 
Of course, this is just a summary of what he will say. He can certainly preach more convincingly to deceive us like he deceived Adam and Eve. We should tell him, How can we be above the law of God even if we are under grace: Rom 8:7 KJV  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Hence, I am now convinced why Jesus would warn us that the devil will come again and try to corrupt His words, and why we must keep His commandments:

• Mat 13:24-30 KJV  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:  (25)  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.  (26)  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.  (27)  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?  (28)  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?  (29)  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.  (30)  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
• Rev 12:17 KJV  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
   

The Bible has taught us that it is a command from God for us to do good
The Lord and the Apostles would say that it is a must for us to do good. They would never say that it is an option or a hindrance:

• Mat 5:44-48 KJV  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  (45)  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  (46)  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?  (47)  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?  (48)  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
• Luk 6:9 KJV  Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
• Luk 6:35-36 KJV  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.  (36)  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
• 1Ti 6:17-18 KJV  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;  (18)  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
• Jas 4:17 KJV  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
• 1Pe 3:10-12 KJV  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:  (11)  Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.  (12)  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

In fact, God's will and command for men to do good has never changed. We can see this since the time God gave the Jews His Old Testament and the Ten Commandments.


Grace and good works do not crash
Many preachers think that it would crash with grace if we do good and teach people to do God's commandments, God's will, or good works. However, I would think otherwise. I would think that grace and doing good must be preached together:

• 2Co 9:7-8 KJV  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  (8)  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

In fact, the Lord has shown us that we receive grace to do good to others, not to do evil:

• Mat 18:32-35 KJV  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:  (33)  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?  (34)  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.  (35)  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
• Mat 25:40 KJV  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

There are many reason why we must do good because of grace
1. We do not do good because we want to earn grace. We do good because it is a command from the Lord.

• 1Ti 6:17-18 KJV  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;  (18)  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

2. We do not do good because we are compelled by an unknown force; we do good because we want to obey and please the Lord

• Heb 13:16 KJV  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 
• 1Pe 3:10-12 KJV  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:  (11)  Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.  (12)  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

3. We do not do good because it is an option for us; we do good because we obey and it is His will for us.

• Php 2:12-13 KJV  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  (13)  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

4. We do not do good because we want to get good; we do good because we know that God is merciful and forgiving:

• Luk 6:35-36 KJV  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.  (36)  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

5. We do not do good because we are good; we do good because we know that God is good and we want to be good too: 

• Mat 5:44-48 KJV  .. (48)  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 
• 1Pe 1:13-16 KJV  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  (14)  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:  (15)  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;  (16)  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
• Jas 4:17 KJV  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.    

Please think, If we must do good and tell people to do good, how can the teaching of doing good be self-effort? It can be self-effort only if it is preached as the law of the Pharisees. However, we know that the Pharisees would never do good. Hence, I would think that the law of the Pharisees which did not really teach the people to do good would be their self-effort to become righteous before God. Hence, any law or grace which tries to justify the people without doing good today is still 'self-effort' or 'self-righteousness' in the eyes of the Lord. It is like the works of the law of the Pharisees.


There are many reasons why we must do good because of the finished work of Jesus Christ
Many radical grace preachers could preach the finished work of Jesus very well. But it is so well that it become the finished work of the believers. Of course, I don't think that Jesus would tell us that His finished work is our finished work. His finished work is done once and for all. But our work is not finished yet if we are not finished or God has not finished with us.
We cannot add any law, work, or effort on to what Jesus has finished on the cross for us. But we can certain do good or add good works in our lives, not to save ourselves, but to fulfill the joy, the will, and the pleasure of the Lord in our lives.

• 2Th 1:8-12 KJV  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:  (9)  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;  (10)  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.  (11)  Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:  (12)  That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Jas 2:8 KJV  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

The will to do good is still a 'law' of God in every man's heart
If you remember what I said earlier, you would know that I have already stressed why we must do good. I said at the top of  this post, "Normal people,  including the non-believers, would think that we must do good". The concept that 'we must do good' is the law of God in every man, and this law will never changed even though men have departed from the law of God. Non-believers may not have the law of God which speaks to them directly or clearly as His command or voice, but consciously or unconsciously they know that there is always an 'anonymous' inner voice which may strongly disagree with them or strongly condemn their sinful behaviors. We called it - the conscience:

• Rom 2:14-24 KJV  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:  (15)  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)  (16)  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.  (17)  Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,  (18)  And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;  (19)  And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,  (20)  An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.  (21)  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?  (22)  Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?  (23)  Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?  (24)  For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
• Act 2:37-38 KJV  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  (38)  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Man's normal thinking will be corrupted to think deceitfully or lawlessly
But things would get worst when the normal people, including the believers, will lose that conscience or the law of God to do good.. I have said that it is a mystery of lawlessness which will first corrupt the normal thinking of the people and make them believe that sin can come from any law, especially the law of God. When this happens, many normal people think that:

• sin comes from the law 
• doing good is a law from the devil (Mat 24:11-12 LITV  And many false prophets will be raised and will cause many to err.  (12)  And because lawlessness shall have been multiplied, the love of the many will grow cold).

This will happen in the last days, when man's conscience will be corrupted easily and they will love to hear anything or any interpretation from the serpent. Have we marveled at the foolishness of Adam and Eve? How could they listen to the interpretation of Satan to depart from God's command and dishonor it when God's command was so clear and so direct to them? I don't think Adam and Eve were foolish; but they were deceived by Satan who was too cunning for them. Today Satan would still try to twist our normal and direct thinking on God's commandments again. Hence, we are not surprised that many people, including the believers, have begun to think like the devil and argue that sin does not come from lawlessness, but sin comes from the law of God (click here to watch this video) and that they will be saved even if they believe the devil, sin, and dishonor God's commandments.


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