WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT DOING GOOD?
By Richard Burkard
Lots of preachers preach against doing bad things. After all, that's what we call sinful behavior. But have you heard preachers speak against people trying to do good things?
I have - and in Church of God groups, of all places. I've heard Pastors speak in semi-negative tones of "trying to be a goody two-shoes" -- something critics might say of a believer, but also mockingly of believers trying to live a non-offensive lifestyle. I've also heard ministers speak against "do-gooders," who work to improve society.
Sound strange? It did to me -- so when one of my congregation's leaders had a conversation with me after church about an area where I seemed to be a "do-gooder," I was ready to give an answer:
"The book of Acts says Jesus went around doing good."
This shut the man right up.-- and hopefully sent him to his Bible. "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and.... he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him." (Acts 10:38)
Given this obvious statement about our Lord, why do so many COG leaders put down people trying to do well? I think there are several reasons:
* Bible prophecies show the days are only going to grow darker before Jesus returns. Paul even wrote: "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse...." (II Tim. 3:13, KJV)
* Many criticized "do-gooders" are members of left-wing groups - and the long-time Church of God mindset is that "liberal" is automatically bad, while "conservative" is automatically good.
* Church of God groups often teach worshipers to "come out of this world" - and getting involved in projects which might make this present world a little better is not considered "coming out" of it.
* Some people take Paul's statement, "There is no one who does good, not even one," (Rom. 3:12) to be a statement about the present end-time age. (In fact, it's a quote from a far earlier time -- Psalms 14 and 53, in the days of King David.)
The odd thing about this is that COG's also tend to encourage worshipers to "make their calling and election sure" by keeping Sabbaths, Holy Days, meat-eating rules and similar things. After all, everyone will be judged and rewarded "according to their works" (Mt. 16:27/Rev. 20:13). So while speaking against good deeds of others, ministers urge believers to perform good works to secure their salvation.
Lest you be confused, let's see what your New Testament says about doing good:
* "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven," Jesus said in Matthew 5:16. A deeper lesson here seems to be that your good works should glorify God - and not your ego. (See 19:17 for a way to handle that.)
* "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you...." Jesus says later. (Mt. 5:44/Lk. 6:27, 33, 35, KJV)
* When a woman with expensive perfume poured it on Jesus, some disciples grumbled - but the Lord said, "Why trouble you this woman? For she has wrought a good work upon me." (Mt. 26:7-10, KJV) Jesus adds this woman's actions are to be told wherever the gospel is preached (26:13) - so if your do-gooder-opposing Church hasn't done that, I just did.
* Jesus declared it was lawful to "do good" on Sabbath days. (Mk. 3:4/Lk. 6:9)
* The Lord told the Jews: "Many good works have I shewed you from my Father...." (John 10:32, KJV) - thus confirming the statement in Acts mentioned above.
* Peter and John were called on the carpet (presuming there were carpets back then) by Jerusalem's leaders for healing a crippled beggar - which Peter, "filled with the Holy Ghost," called a "good deed." (Acts 4:6-9, KJV) Similarly, Paul told Titus (apparently a minister of some sort) to "set them [young men] an example by doing what is good." (Tit. 2:7)
* The disciple Tabitha (aka Dorcas) "was always doing good and helping the poor." (Acts 9:36)
* Paul promised "glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good...." (Rom. 2:10) He further encouraged the Romans to "overcome evil with good" (12:21) - in part because those who do good gain praise from the rulers over them (13:3, KJV). He's even more blunt in Galatians 6:10: "As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (See also Col. 1:10) Paul says God will reward people based on their good works (Eph. 6:8) - and in fact, God began a good work in us in the first place (Phil. 1:6).
There are many more verses we could quote on this topic, and we'll list them if you're still not convinced. But perhaps what makes the Church criticism of "do-gooders" most ludicrous is Paul's statement in Ephesians 2:10: "For we are Christ's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works...." COG members long have used this verse to debunk salvation by faith alone. (See our article The Faith Equation for more on that issue.) But the "works" they emphasize often seem limited to Sabbath-keeping, Holy Day celebrations, and other items in the Torah -- when Paul makes no such distinction.
Another verse COG's love to quote along these lines is James 4:17: "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." A similar principle, "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin," (Rom. 14:23) sometimes is applied all the way back to Old Testament patriarchs not keeping God's commandments. But beyond the question of indicting ancient people for parts of the Bible they may have never heard -- is James talking about commandments here? Not really. His focus seems to be more on talking about plans for the future, instead of accomplishing good acts in the here and now (4:13-16).
If all that is not enough for the skeptics: doesn't one of the favorite Dwight Armstrong hymns of Churches of God begin: "Turn thou from evil, do what is good...."? (The Bible Hymnal, 1974 ed., p. 27; Worldwide Church of God Hymnal, 1993 ed., p. 53) The words are taken from Psalm 34:14, and repeated in I Peter 3:11. And isn't goodness part of the fruit of the Spirit? (Gal. 5:22; see also Eph. 5:9)
The next time someone in a congregation tries to persuade you to put down do-gooders, here's a two-step approach for responding:
1. Leave them with Hebrews 13:16 - "Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."
2. Pronounce a benediction found down the page, in 13:20-21 - "May the God of peace.... equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
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© 2003 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.