Many of the "good" works of unbelievers rest on the assumption that good works don't have to come from a good heart. They dichotomize between works themselves and quality of the person producing them, often overemphasizing outwardly "good" works. Christ however insisted that good works can only come from a good heart: "first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, SO THAT the outside of it may become clean also." (Mt 23:26) Christ also took aim at false dichotomies in the man-made distinctions made by Pharisees, who said a man was obligated if he swore by the gold in the temple, but not if he merely swore by the temple itself. Christ exposed many such false dichotomies among the Pharisees (Mt. 23:16-22), and essentially concluded that hypocritical man-made religion exchanges God's standards for man's, in an attempt to justify men just by doing outwardly "good" works.
Let Him Who Boasts, Boast in the Lord
This episode centers on "religious" work, noting that activity not motivated by love of God and neighbor doesn't qualify as "good" work. Christ derided Jewish efforts to make proselytes in which converts became "twice the sons of hell" as those proselytizing (Mt 23:15) The context of Christ's woes against hypocrisy highlights the exaltation of man-made religion to the expense of the Great Commandments. Paul later took issue with Judaizers in the early Christian church, who prioritized circumcision over sanctifying faith. Outward observance of circumcision by converts became a badge of boasting in which Judaizers made "a good showing in the flesh." (Gal. 6:12) Religious work not born out of the Great Commandments ("gold, silver, precious stone") is burned up at the judgment seat of Christ, for it does not qualify as a "good" work. (1 Cor 3:12-15) The episode also cites modern-day "boasting in the flesh." Altar calls designed to elicit quick professions of faith, often by ignoring or understating the necessity of repentance, have become the predominant badge of boasting in evangelical circles. This "wood, hay and straw" motivated by flesh will be burned up. Unfortunately many who are manipulated into reciting the sinner's prayer will also be burned up, because they hypocritically professed Christ as lord, as evident by their pursuit of lawlessness. (Mt 7:22-23) In summary then, if hypocrisy and carnality can undermine religious work, even rendering as rubbish the deeds of regenerate believers, can the works of unbelievers possibly be described as "good?"
Hypocrisy: When “Good” Deeds Reek
This episode and the next several focus on the 8 woes of Christ against the Pharisees in Matthew 23. The series has so far demonstrated that "good works" are contingent on a good heart. Extrinsic goodness or outwardly good works must flow from a good heart in order to be characterized as good. Since none has a good heart (Romans 3:10-12), no one can produce "good" works, based on God's standard. Christ's 8 woes against the Pharisees underscore this point, recording possibly the most devastating rebuke of hypocrisy in all of Scripture. Christ essentially concludes that all the Pharisees' outwardly good deeds were in fact corrupted because they arose from a corrupt heart. Christ commanded "first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, SO THAT the outside of it may become clean also." (Mt 23:26) Outwardly "good" works are unclean when the inward condition of the heart remains dirty. The rest of Scripture provides the answer with a new clean heart provided in regeneration.
Seek His Face, Not Just His Hand
This episode addresses the motivation behind searching for God. While God honors "crisis" seeking, where He aids us in crisis moments, He intends that all believers become life-long "love"-seekers who hunger and thirst for God Himself. The program addresses the dynamics of how God transforms crisis-seeking to love-seeking, often by making lasting victory over sin and circumstances elusive, requiring persistent seeking after God Himself. This resting in God is discussed based on Ephesians 3:16-19, where progressive abiding in Christ leads to greater capacity for His rule, potentially leading to being "filled up with all the fullness of God." (Eph. 3:19) This quasi beatific vision is based on an intimate knowledge of the love of God where the diligent search for God is rewarded. The episode repeatedly emphasizes that mere crisis searching is unacceptable. Love seeking is the Biblical ideal that culminates in the knowledge of God.
Mercy Triumphs over Judgment..But Only for the Blind
This episode highlights the natural human tendency to substitute God's standard for good works with human ones, mostly centered on outward observance. One of the primary aims of the sermon on the mount (Matthew5-7) is to explode reliance on outward morality divorced from internal embrace of the commandments. The Pharisees were often guilty of emphasizing external observance of the Law without grappling with the heart's penchant for lawlessness. Christ concluded that Pharisees who continued to insist on their own righteousness, maintaining that they were good people, were headed for judgment. (John 9:39) By contrast, those who acknowledge their sick condition and are utterly despondent over any ability to do good--these are candidates for salvation who rest completely on the finished work of Christ.
None Does Good, Not Even One
This episode surveys the Scripture's bleak assessment of human ability to do good. The Biblical standard of "goodness" is perfect consistency with outwardly good works and the heart that produces them. Paul mastered the former, describing himself as "blameless" in outward keeping of the Law (Phil. 3:6), but condemns himself as a law-breaker regarding coveting (Rom. 7:7). His failure to produce good works from a law-abiding heart means that he doesn't meet the standard of goodness. And he extends his assessment of himself to all mankind in Rom 3:12: "there is none who does good, not even one." Christ commented that John the Baptist was the greatest man "born to woman," but insisted those "least in the kingdom of God" were greater than he. John the Baptist, like Paul, excelled in outward manifestations of righteousness, but lacked the regenerate heart essential to producing truly good works, where outwardly "good" works flow from a heart that perfectly loves God and neighbor. Unbelievers consequently cannot produce "good" works since all works ultimately flow from an unbelieving unregenerate heart.
Do Good, But NOT For God’s Sake
Building off of the last program, this episode enumerates several Biblical examples where unbelievers, based on natural endowments, divine influence and/or self-interest, do in fact produce externally good works. God has given all men a natural desire to take care of their children, so "evil" men give "good gifts." (Luke 11:13) God can lay His agenda on the heart of kings, even to the point where they're "anointed" to do His will (Cyrus, Isaiah 45:1) Lastly, the unjust judge in Luke 18:4-5 ended up rendering justice to a destitute widow, just to get put an end to her persistent nagging. Yet none of the above "good" works meets the standard of good works according to God, where outwardly good works flow from pure love of God and neighbor. This episode answers a common query over the possibility of good works, especially among nonbelieving philanthropists.
Don’t Settle for Forgiven
Coming from Hosea 10:11-14, this episode emphasizes the hard work of searching after God after receiving God's righteousness in Christ. Many believers today content themselves with the imputed righteousness of Christ, where God declares them positionally righteous because of the blood of Christ, but don't make their actual condition a priority. Hosea tells us that we need to seek the Lord "until He reigns righteousness" on us. The righteousness here spoken of is actual righteousness where believers reverse bad sowing and plant new seeds of righteousness. Much of the episode addresses hungering and thirsting after righteousness (Mt 5:6), which is only satisfied when our condition matches our position in Christ. This craving for actual righteousness manifests in a life-long searching after God. The outcome of this search is transformation into the image of Christ AT THE SAME TIME we grow in the knowledge of God. We progressively know Christ, who is the Truth, and are made free. (John 8:32, John 14:6) It culminates in the beatific vision, where we are so radically transformed that we see God face to face. (1 John 3:2)
Half Good Ain’t Good Enough
This episode sets the Biblical standard of goodness, where outward manifestations of goodness are consistent with the heart from which they come. Extrinsic goodness flows from intrinsic goodness, and God alone meets that standard. "You [God] are good and do good" declares Psalm 119:68. The test of intrinsic goodness is the great commandments, perfect love of God and neighbor, and Christ Himself noted that no man meets that standard. So the Biblical high standard of good works is the marrying of intrinsic goodness with outward manifestations. Regarding the latter, unbelievers can in fact do externally good works. Christ acknowledged that "evil" men can give "good gifts." (Luke 11:13) Yet this "good work" does not reach the standard of goodness that God deems a "good work," since it emanates from an evil heart.
The Foundation of ‘Goodness’ and ‘Good Works’
On the way to properly answering the question, this initial episode addresses an even more fundamental question: can believers do good works? The answer provided by Scripture is a resounding yes, but the basis from which Christians can do good works is entirely the finished work of Christ. Ephesians 2:10 declares that "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works." Good works stem from being "created in Christ Jesus," which itself is a work that God did in response to faith in Christ, "by grace you have saved through faith." While these verses definitively claim that Christians' good works are founded on God's workmanship in Christ, it says nothing about the possibility of good works for unbelievers, even though this conclusion is strongly implied. The remainder of the episode highlights Scriptures that indicate that "goodness" depends on intrinsic goodness, and only God meets this standard