Chapter 17—Good Works
“The Good came into your midst . . . in order to restore it to its root” but the wicked “refuse to act wisely or do good . . . Their actions are never good. They make no attempt to turn . . . away from evil and do good” (Psalm 36:3–4, 34:14, NLT).
Qumran’s people knew they must “seek God with a whole heart and soul, and do what is good and right before Him as He commanded . . . Love all that He has chosen and hate all that he has rejected; that they may abstain from all evil and hold fast to all good; that they may practice truth, righteousness, and justice upon earth and no longer stubbornly follow a sinful heart.” Joseph urged, “You must put down iniquity and by your good examples stimulate the Elders to good works.”
What is good? When a believer asked, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Jesus said, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17).
Jesus, who “needed not that any man should teach him” (JST Matthew 3:25), knew the Father was the source of all goodness. There is no good thing in natural man. “Come unto Christ and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing . . . Yea, come unto Christ and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness” (Moroni 10:30, 32). Levi admonished all to “work righteousness . . . that ye may have it as a treasure in heaven . . . The wisdom of the wise naught can take away, save the blindness of ungodliness and the callousness that comes of sin . . . Keep oneself from these evil things” (Testament of Levi 13:5, 7–8).
The root of good is kalos (G2570), to make valuable, beautiful, excellent, or virtuous. Gesenius explains that what is good has an acceptable nature and is useful, distinguished, awakened, honorable, and upright. We become good by adhering precisely to what God commands. Knowing this, we better understand Nephi’s declaration that he “was born of goodly parents” (1 Nephi 1:1), a testament of their exalted standing. Lehi risked his life to preach truth, refusing tradition and making great sacrifice to obtain and preserve scripture. In return Lehi’s family received a promised land and deliverance from Jerusalem’s coming destruction.
From tob (H2895), good is to be pleasing or to do well. That which is of God, or is the work of God, is good. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in His way” (Psalm 37:23). The great and noble ones were given dominion because of good works. “God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said, These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good. And he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born” (Abraham 3:23). God “chose out the Lord Jesus Christ and us through him to be a peculiar people” (1 Clement 64:1).
We become good by doing the Father’s work. “Many good works have I shewed you from my Father,” Jesus said (John 10:32). We cannot declare ourselves good. It is a title bestowed by God. Christ “will choose for myself those who are good—those given to me by my Father.”
They “look forward to the Son of God for redemption . . . having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling” (Alma 13:2–3). They recognize God’s hand in their trials and preparations, knowing “all these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7).
A fundamental tenet of the restored gospel is seeking what is good. “We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things” (AF 1:13).
Those willing to forsake the world to obtain revelation choose the good part. Mary received the good part by coming to Christ. God taught David (Psalm 71:17); Mormon “was visited of the Lord and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus” (Mormon 1:15). Nephi testified of “having great desires to know the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me,” giving “great knowledge of the goodness and mysteries of God” (1 Nephi 2:16, 1:1). Like Nephi and Isaiah, Jacob received the good part and told us the way.
The result of their vanity and unbelief was devastating: the ten leaders were killed by plague and their people wandered in a barren desert for 40 years wherein all perished but Joshua and Caleb. “They could not enter in because of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:19).
Exact obedience leads us to what is good. “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing” (Psalm 34:10, NIV), but many still refuse. To despise good is to despise God. “Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish. For I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you” (Acts 13:41). They act in the name of religion but ‘hate God’ and will not seek Him.
“Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good and say that it is of no worth!” (2 Nephi 28:16). “Satan has great hold upon their hearts; he stirreth them up to iniquity against that which is good” (D&C 10:20).
Those who resist the Father’s work do not always despise religion, for ironically they often act for the sake of religion. Paul persecuted Christians zealously before his miraculous conversion. After he repented, Paul admonished all to not fight against good and hold “fast the faithful word” (Titus 1:9) because fierce despisers are among us.
Like most true prophets, Jesus held no hierarchal leadership position and was rejected by church and state. At this time, the Jews’ religion had scripture, accepted tithes, performed ritual ordinances, offered sacrifice, were led by chief priest and his council, observed the Sabbath, and had a temple. They did not ask God if Jesus taught truth so many were deceived. Unbelief left them unable to recognize the Savior in spite of the miracles He performed, the truth He declared, and the prophecies He fulfilled, making even religious devotees fierce despisers of good.
Similarly, people of Ammonihah failed to recognize Alma’s authority because it did not come through their church hierarchy. Lehi’s divine authority was not recognized. Such is the pattern in all dispensations that fail to establish Zion. John the Baptist served outside the establishment but held the keys of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God exists not in an institution, but wherever and “whenever there has been a righteous man on earth unto whom God revealed His word and gave power and authority to administer in His name.”
For footnotes and references, click HERE.
Qumran’s people knew they must “seek God with a whole heart and soul, and do what is good and right before Him as He commanded . . . Love all that He has chosen and hate all that he has rejected; that they may abstain from all evil and hold fast to all good; that they may practice truth, righteousness, and justice upon earth and no longer stubbornly follow a sinful heart.” Joseph urged, “You must put down iniquity and by your good examples stimulate the Elders to good works.”
What is good? When a believer asked, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Jesus said, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17).
Jesus, who “needed not that any man should teach him” (JST Matthew 3:25), knew the Father was the source of all goodness. There is no good thing in natural man. “Come unto Christ and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing . . . Yea, come unto Christ and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness” (Moroni 10:30, 32). Levi admonished all to “work righteousness . . . that ye may have it as a treasure in heaven . . . The wisdom of the wise naught can take away, save the blindness of ungodliness and the callousness that comes of sin . . . Keep oneself from these evil things” (Testament of Levi 13:5, 7–8).
The root of good is kalos (G2570), to make valuable, beautiful, excellent, or virtuous. Gesenius explains that what is good has an acceptable nature and is useful, distinguished, awakened, honorable, and upright. We become good by adhering precisely to what God commands. Knowing this, we better understand Nephi’s declaration that he “was born of goodly parents” (1 Nephi 1:1), a testament of their exalted standing. Lehi risked his life to preach truth, refusing tradition and making great sacrifice to obtain and preserve scripture. In return Lehi’s family received a promised land and deliverance from Jerusalem’s coming destruction.
From tob (H2895), good is to be pleasing or to do well. That which is of God, or is the work of God, is good. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in His way” (Psalm 37:23). The great and noble ones were given dominion because of good works. “God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said, These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good. And he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born” (Abraham 3:23). God “chose out the Lord Jesus Christ and us through him to be a peculiar people” (1 Clement 64:1).
[Jesus] gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:14)God seeks a special people, distinct from all nations, to receive “glory and honor and immortality, eternal life” (Romans 2:7)—but they must do good. “If ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation” (Exodus 19:5–6). Those who “believe He is precious . . . are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people [who] shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:7, 9). “Whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is” (Moroni 10:6), for “in Him every good gift and every good principle dwell” (LF 2:2).
We become good by doing the Father’s work. “Many good works have I shewed you from my Father,” Jesus said (John 10:32). We cannot declare ourselves good. It is a title bestowed by God. Christ “will choose for myself those who are good—those given to me by my Father.”
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17)Alternately, in the Father “there is no change, nor shadow of alteration” (Douay-Rheims). That which is good cannot vary. Modifications turn good works into dead works. But faith and ratified ordinances turns dead works into good works. To do good works we must hear and obey Christ, the good Shepherd.
Whatsoever is good cometh from God and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil. Therefore, if a man bringeth forth good works he hearkeneth to the voice of the good shepherd. (Alma 5:40–41)That a shepherd is distinguished as good implies bad shepherds also exist. Scripture confirms we must discern good shepherds from those who vary from His path. His scathing rebuke “against the shepherds of Israel” warns of serious repercussion if they fail to perform good works:
Prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: [Wo], shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them . . .
Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths . . . I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out . . . I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness . . . I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep . . . I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken. (Ezekiel 34:2–4, 18–19, 10–12, 14–16, 23–24, ESV)The Lord “summoned seventy shepherds and he left those sheep to them that they might pasture them . . . and [do] everything that I command you,” but they did not. They “were judged and found to be sinners” (1 Enoch 89:59, 90:20). Their pride, lack of divine knowledge, and feeding their own aspirations deny them, and all who follow them, the real blessings of Christ’s gospel. “The eyes of the sheep were blind and they did not see, and their shepherds likewise” (1 Enoch 89:72).
Those who are named as being baptized in our Lord and as confessing his name . . . they shall trample on the faith and talk perversely and divide our Lord; and in that time there shall be reckoned many teachers, as the Spirit of the Lord does not speak in them, and they shall divide our Lord . . . They shall seek our Lord and shall not find him, and they will call to him and he will not answer them.Those entrusted with the covenant will be cursed, removed, and destroyed if they do not preach His gospel or seek His presence, even if they believe their works are acceptable. Warning comes: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28).
And even those who preach among them, on whom the name of the Lord was called, in the headship over their brethren and in the offices of the Church will be disturbers and self-exalting persons and haters of one another: lovers of money and destroyers of order, and who do not keep the commandments.
They will not love their flocks, and in their days, men will appear as sheep who are ravening wolves, and they will eat up the labour of the orphans, and the sustenance of the widows, and every ruler shall pervert justice, and their eyes shall be blinded by bribery, and they shall love vainglory, and because of all these evils that are performed by them, they shall call upon the Lord, and there will be none to answer them, and there will be no Saviour for them; because evils are multiplied on the earth, and they have corrupted their ways before the Father in Heaven; and the destroyer shall deliver them up to devastation, and to misery.Faith “comes by hearing the word of God.” How long will His hand be stayed against “disobedient and gainsaying people” (Romans 10:21)? If they return, He will “give you shepherds after my own heart who will guide you with knowledge and understanding” (Jeremiah 3:15, NLT).
I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved . . . I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father . . . They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd. (John 10:7–9, 14–16, NLT)Many professed Christians “have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. They, being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:2–3). Paul, being justifiably concerned, preached truth amidst great opposition that people “might be saved” (Romans 10:1). The hope is they “obtain like precious faith through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1). “But not all heeded the good news . . . Lord, who has believed our report?” (Romans 10:16, Berean). We must know His voice and be “extensively acquainted with him” to “behold His glory, be partakers of his power, and stand in his presence” (LF 2:34). The faithful who “bringeth forth good works and prayeth continually without ceasing” are “given to know the mysteries of God” (Alma 26:22). Good works bring transformation and blessings, including “the resurrection of life.”
They “look forward to the Son of God for redemption . . . having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling” (Alma 13:2–3). They recognize God’s hand in their trials and preparations, knowing “all these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7).
A fundamental tenet of the restored gospel is seeking what is good. “We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things” (AF 1:13).
Those willing to forsake the world to obtain revelation choose the good part. Mary received the good part by coming to Christ. God taught David (Psalm 71:17); Mormon “was visited of the Lord and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus” (Mormon 1:15). Nephi testified of “having great desires to know the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me,” giving “great knowledge of the goodness and mysteries of God” (1 Nephi 2:16, 1:1). Like Nephi and Isaiah, Jacob received the good part and told us the way.
I would that ye should (1) look to the great Mediator and (2) hearken unto his great commandments; and (3) be faithful unto his words and (4) choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit; and not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom . . .
I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. (2 Nephi 2:28–30, numerals added)With God’s seal, a good report brings evidence, assurance, witness, and testimony. Many do not seek a good report, accepting man’s word as sure. When the children of Israel were about to enter the promised land, twelve leaders were called to observe. Ten failed to believe God and persuaded others that while the land “does flow with milk and honey,” it was “not possible” to attain it. They acted in fear, not faith, and did not understand that “the things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27). Only Joshua and Caleb knew “with God, nothing can be impossible” (JST Luke 1:37). Their plea to accept a good report went unheeded by unbelievers who chose to follow the majority of the twelve instead of God and wanted to stone Joshua and Caleb. In this they provoked God.
The result of their vanity and unbelief was devastating: the ten leaders were killed by plague and their people wandered in a barren desert for 40 years wherein all perished but Joshua and Caleb. “They could not enter in because of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:19).
Exact obedience leads us to what is good. “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing” (Psalm 34:10, NIV), but many still refuse. To despise good is to despise God. “Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish. For I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you” (Acts 13:41). They act in the name of religion but ‘hate God’ and will not seek Him.
“Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good and say that it is of no worth!” (2 Nephi 28:16). “Satan has great hold upon their hearts; he stirreth them up to iniquity against that which is good” (D&C 10:20).
Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:28–32)We must expect opposition if we hearken to God. Those in the great and spacious building, having an “attitude of mocking and pointing” (1 Nephi 8:27), scorn those who seek eternal life. Mockers can sit in positions of authority like Pharisees who sat in the seat of Moses.
Those who resist the Father’s work do not always despise religion, for ironically they often act for the sake of religion. Paul persecuted Christians zealously before his miraculous conversion. After he repented, Paul admonished all to not fight against good and hold “fast the faithful word” (Titus 1:9) because fierce despisers are among us.
An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe . . . one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. (Titus 1:6–9, NIV)Confronting despisers of good is an inevitable part of the journey to exaltation.
In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. (2 Timothy 3:1–4)Most ancient manuscripts did not contain punctuation so monks, scribes, or translators interpreted phrases as best they could to suit their understanding or interest. While today a comma follows “fierce,” removing it offers clarity as to the level of hatred felt by “fierce despisers of those that are good.” We only need to look at the lives of Jesus, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Enoch, Joseph, Nephi, Abel, Noah, and others to recognize their good works were vehemently opposed by church leaders, rulers, nations, and religious congregations.
Like most true prophets, Jesus held no hierarchal leadership position and was rejected by church and state. At this time, the Jews’ religion had scripture, accepted tithes, performed ritual ordinances, offered sacrifice, were led by chief priest and his council, observed the Sabbath, and had a temple. They did not ask God if Jesus taught truth so many were deceived. Unbelief left them unable to recognize the Savior in spite of the miracles He performed, the truth He declared, and the prophecies He fulfilled, making even religious devotees fierce despisers of good.
Similarly, people of Ammonihah failed to recognize Alma’s authority because it did not come through their church hierarchy. Lehi’s divine authority was not recognized. Such is the pattern in all dispensations that fail to establish Zion. John the Baptist served outside the establishment but held the keys of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God exists not in an institution, but wherever and “whenever there has been a righteous man on earth unto whom God revealed His word and gave power and authority to administer in His name.”
For footnotes and references, click HERE.