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.