Learning Good Deeds

by Chris Simmons

We’re to be “loving what is good” (Titus 1:8), “zealous for what is good” (I Peter 3:13) and to “cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9). What exactly is it that we are to love, cling to and be zealous for? What is “good” and more importantly who gets to define what is “good”? Paul recognized that man needs to be taught what “good” is and thus concluded the letter to Titus by writing in Titus 3:14, “And let our people also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, that they may not be unfruitful.” The exhortation to “learn to engage in good deeds” means there’s some teaching that needs to take place. Earlier in the letter, Paul exhorted in Titus 2:3 the “older women” to be those who are “teaching what is good.” Good deeds need to be taught and learned.

Strong’s Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary defines the word “good” in Titus 3:14 as “valuable or virtuous” while Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines it as “excellent in its nature and characteristics … praiseworthy; morally good, noble … honorable.” It is up to God define both what is virtuous, excellent and praiseworthy and to determine who is responsible for performing such good works.

In both of the passages noted above, it needs to be noticed that the “who” who is to engage in these good deeds are individual people. There is a great deal of confusion and false teaching involved with who is authorized or responsible for the good works God has specified. For example, in James 1:27, we are taught that visiting orphans and widows is a good work. But who is that charge given to? Was it given to the church or the individual members of the church? When one goes back to review the entire context of James 1:22-27, all the exhortations and commands given can be summarized by the imperative command in verse 22 to “prove yourselves doers of the word.” The remaining context uses personal pronouns exclusively to describe the good works to be performed. Indeed the Bible does speak of good works that the local church is to perform (evangelism, edification, Christian benevolence) but it also warns against placing additional works upon the church that God never spoke of when Paul wrote in I Timothy 5:16, “let not the church be burdened.” The context of 1 Timothy chapter 5 is clear that it is sinful to try to place good works that we are personally responsible for upon anyone else, including the Lord’s church. There are a lot of good works but we need to respect and appreciate that God intended for man to personally bear the burden of these and refrain from casting them upon the church.

Thus, we must ensure that we are “rightly dividing” (II Timothy 2:15, KJV) God’s word to learn good works and apply the teaching of Hebrews 5:14 which says, “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” Similarly, we are charged with the responsibility to “examine everything” and “hold fast to that which is good” (I Thessalonians 5:21). Do we have faith that God’s word will fully and completely equip us (II Timothy 3:16) with the ability to discern good works?

If we’re going to learn to engage in good deeds, we need to learn to be ready for the opportunities that come our way. In Titus 3:1 Paul records, “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed.” It is an easy temptation to fail to engage in good deeds because the opportunities do not come and knock on our front door begging for our help. We need to seek for the opportunities and be ready for the doors of opportunity that God presents to us.

Beyond simply being ready, we need to learn to be zealous in our performance of what God has defined as good deeds. Again we read in Titus 2:14, “… that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” We must learn to couple what we’ve learned about good deeds from God’s word with an enthusiasm and zeal to do them. We will not be lukewarm about good deeds as the Laodiceans were (Revelation 3:16) but rather be fervent in our pursuit of good deeds.

Finally, learning good deeds simply requires that we care and be willing to do God’s will. In Titus 3:8 we read, “This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good deeds.” To be careful is to simply be full of care. Unless we care about the spiritual needs (and to a lesser degree, physical needs) of others, we will stop short of engaging in good deeds. Until we have a deep-rooted care for the lost souls of others, we won’t be willing to try and change their spiritual condition. We need to follow David’s petition in prayer to God seeking that He “sustain (us) with a willing spirit” (Psalms 51:12) and heart that is careful about the good he would have us do.

Will we recognize that this is our purpose as Christians? Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” May we humbly commit to learning what God has defined as good works and to be ready, willing and zealous to walk in them.