THE REWARD OF GOOD WORKS

By Gary Ray Branscome

The Bible plainly tells us that, “No one will ever become righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law, because the law was given to reveal our sins” (Romans 3:20, a paraphrase). And, the idea that the law can make us partway righteous, or even a little righteous is blown away by the words, “Whoever keeps the whole law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of all” (James 2:10). So, if those who are trying hard to keep that law are “guilty of all,” it should be obvious that there is nothing we can do, no work that we can perform, that will make us worthy of God’s blessing or reward. Therefore, whenever the Bible speaks of works being rewarded, those rewards only apply to those, “To whom God imputes righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered,” // “The righteousness that is by faith” (Romans 4:6-7, Romans 9:30). That being understood let us look at some of the passages that speak of good works and reward.

The words, “The hour is coming, in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice, And will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation,” are misunderstood by everyone who assumes that the law is what makes “Those who have done good” good (John 5:28-29). The words, “If the law could make us righteous, then Christ died for nothing,” tell us that assumption is wrong (Galatians 2:21). In fact, Christ was trying to correct that wrong idea when He said, “Two men went up to the temple to pray; one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood up and prayed thus to himself, God, I thank you, that I am not like other men are, extortioners, evil doers, adulterers, or even like this publican… And the publican, standing afar off, would not even look up to heaven, but beat upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you that this man went down to his house justified rather than the other” (Luke 18:10-14). Now, as we compare John 5:29 with Luke 18:10-14, the words, “This man went down to his house justified rather than the other,” tell us that Christ regarded the publican as one of “those who have done good,” but not the Pharisee. That tells us that those who will be counted as having “done good,” on the day of judgment, are not those who seek to make themselves righteous through works, but those who humbly acknowledge their sin while looking to Christ for mercy. As it is written, “God will not despise a heart that is humbled and sorry for sin” and “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Psalm 51:17, Romans 8:1).

Believers who are troubled by the words of John 5:29 [see the preceding paragraph] often wonder why Christ would make a statement that sounds like works righteousness. What they fail to understand is that the words of John 5:29 are law not gospel. And, because they are law, God expects those who read those words to admit their sin and look to God for mercy; as did David who said, “I have trusted in your mercy, my heart will rejoice in your salvation” (Psalm 13:5). For all who trust in God’s mercy, “Are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). However, because “The heart is deceitful above all things,” most people who read John 5:29 try not to think about it, explain it away, excuse their sins, and hope that they are good enough (Jeremiah 17:9). That sort of self-deception is what Jesus had in mind when He said to Nathaniel, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit [self-deception]” (John 1:47).

The words, “I have been crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me,” speak of good works flowing out of the Apostle Paul freely cheerfully and willingly without any coercion (Galatians 2:20). And, that is the way it should be in the life of a believer.

The words, “If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses,” are a warning of the law, not a promise of the gospel (Matthew 6:15). And, that warning should be taken seriously by any church member who holds grudges and refuses to forgive. Not because forgiving is a work that brings grace, but because a refusal to forgive is evidence of an unrepentant heart, and an indication that he is not saved.

The words, “He who has shown no mercy, will be judged without mercy,” are again a warning of the law, not a promise of God’s mercy (James 2:13). And, that warning should be taken seriously by any church member who shows no mercy (such as one who forecloses on widows’ houses, Matt. 23:14). However, the words, “Without faith it is impossible to please God,” tell us that being merciful will never get an unbeliever into heaven (Hebrews 11:6). In fact, any good works that we perform before we come to faith in Christ are themselves a gift of God (not something that deserves a reward). Moreover, because our sense of right and wrong, including our conscience, is a gift of God, if there is any good in us it is only there because God put it there, so He deserves the credit for it, not us. On the other hand any bad in us is there because of sin.

The words, “May the Lord show mercy to the house of Onesiphorus; for he often showed me kindness… May the Lord grant to him that he find mercy with the Lord in that day,” are Paul’s prayer for a man who had shown him kindness (2Timothy 1:16-18). The fact that Paul’s prayer is for mercy “in that day” suggests that Onesiphorus had not yet joined the church, otherwise there would have been no need for Paul’s prayer. At any rate, his act of showing kindness was not a work that automatically brought mercy.

There are many passages in Scripture that speak of reward. However, the words, “When you have done everything that you were commanded to do, say, We are unworthy servants: for we have only done what it was our duty to do,” tell us that any reward that we receive is a gift of God’s grace, not something He owes us (Luke 17:10).

The words, “And everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit everlasting life,” were not written to tell us how to earn eternal life, but to assure those who face adversity for Christ’s sake, that God will take care of them, and that what they have to look forward to in heaven is worth far more than anything they give up here (Matthew 19:29).

The words, “Blessed are you, when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all sort of evil things against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be very glad: because your reward in heaven is great,” promise a reward (Matthew 5:11-12). However, that reward is not something we earn. On the contrary, the words, “Kept by the power of God through faith,” tell us that it is only by the grace and power of God that anyone is able to endure persecution (1Peter 1:5). The reward being spoken of is that described in the words, “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us,” for “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love Him” (Romans 8:18, 1Corinthians 2:9).

The words, “Be careful not to do your good works before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you will have no reward from your Father in heaven,” tell us that God will reward certain things that we do (Matthew 6:1). However, the purpose of this passage is not to tell us how to get those rewards, but to warn us against doing good works to impress others. God wants us to show kindness to others, but that kindness should be an out-flowing of the kindness God has shown us in Christ, not an outward show. And, any reward that God chooses to give us is a gift of His grace, not something we deserve.

The words, “The wicked man earns a deceitful wage: but the man who sows righteousness receives a sure reward,” promise a reward to the righteous (Proverbs 11:18). While the words, “The inheritance you will receive from the Lord is a reward: for you serve the Lord Christ,” tell us that heaven itself is our reward, not a reward that we earn but a reward that belongs to all who trust in Christ (Colossians 3:24). Anything beyond that (such as who will sit on Christ’s right hand or left) is determined by God, not by what we do. And, the words, “Let no man swindle you out of your reward through a false humility and the worship of angels, intruding into things that he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,” are a warning against being led astray (Colossians 2:18).

. The words, “Bring all your tithes into the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house, and prove me in this way, says the LORD of hosts, see if I will not open to you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing to you, that there will not be room enough to receive,” speak of God pouring out a blessing (Malachi 3:10). However, that blessing was not something the people deserved, but a blessing that had been withheld because of their stinginess. Sometimes God does pour out a blessing in response to unselfish giving. However, that blessing is not something that comes mechanically because of what we do, or every time we give. It is an expression of God’s grace, and “if by grace, then it is not by works” (Romans 11:6).

The Beatitudes

The blessings listed in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount were never intended to be viewed as works that bring reward. The final one, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,” should make that obvious, since we cannot persecute ourselves (Matthew 5:10). The rest of them all relate to the fruits of repentance and faith.

Consider the words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3). One of the problems that Christ had to deal with was people who derived a false assurance of salvation from their material wealth. They assumed that their wealth was evidence of God’s favor. That is what Christ was talking about when He said, “How hard is it for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:24). In contrast, someone who is poor in spirit is someone who has “A heart that is humbled and sorry for sin” (Psalm 51:17). And, because the words, “In the hope that God will give them repentance,” tell us that repentance is a gift of God’s grace, being poor in spirit is a gift of God’s grace (2Timothy 2:25).

Consider the words, “Blessed are those who mourn” (Matt. 5:4). There are untold millions of unsaved people who mourn, but their mourning brings no blessing. The only kind of mourning that brings God’s blessing has to do with being sorry for your sins. That is the “godly sorrow” that “results in repentance leading to salvation” (2Corinthians 7:10).

Consider the words, “Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). In the parable of the Pharisee and the publican, the Pharisee was proud, and the publican was meek (Luke 18:9-14). And, that is the only kind of meekness that has anything to do with inheriting the earth.

Consider the words, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matt. 5:6). The only people who truly hunger and thirst after righteousness are those who have “A heart that is humbled and sorry for sin” (Psalm 51:17)..

Consider the words, “Blessed are the merciful: for they will obtain mercy” (Matt. 5:7). The words, “Scripture has concluded all under sin, that the promise might be given to those who believe, through faith in Jesus Christ,” tell us that the only people who receive God’s promise of mercy are those who trust in Christ (Galatians 3:22). Therefore, if someone is merciful, that virtue is itself a gift of God, and a fruit of faith in Christ. At the same time, Christ’s words are a warning to any church member who shows no mercy (such as one who forecloses on widows’ houses, Matt. 23:14).

The only people who are “pure in heart,” are those who do not deceive themselves by rationalizing sin, and, therefore, those whose sins have been washed away by the blood of Christ (Matt. 5:8). As it is written, “By one offering He has perfected for ever those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). And, being “a peacemaker” is a fruit of faith, that flows from the peace that we have in Christ.

Combating Works Righteousness

As we have seen, the Bible does speak of rewards, but the words, “All of our righteousnesses are like filthy rags,” and “Without faith it is impossible to please God,” tell us that we do not deserve anything from God other than His condemnation (Isaiah 64:6, Hebrews 11:6). It is only the forgiveness we have in Christ that changes our status with God. For that reason, any reward that God chooses to give us is a gift of His grace, not something we can earn. That also applies to the “crowns” mentioned in the New Testament. For example: the words, “Continue in faith unto death, and I will give you a crown of life,” are not telling us how to earn a golden crown (Revelation 2:10). On the contrary, eternal “life” itself is the crown being spoken of. And, every believer will receive that crown at death. Likewise, the words, “When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of glory that will never fade away,” are not telling us how to earn a golden crown (1Peter 5:4). Instead “glory” itself is the crown. And, the words, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us,” tell us that every believer will receive that glory (Romans 8:18). The same holds true for the words, “A crown of righteousness is reserved for me” (2Timothy 4:8). Righteousness itself is the crown! And, the words, “The dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For our corruptible nature must be made incorruptible, and our mortal nature must become immortal,” tell us that every believer will receive that righteousness at the resurrection (1Corinthians 15:52-53).