DO The Good You Ought To Do

James 4:17 says,

"Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

I am stunned anew by the amount of sin in my life; by how far I am missing the mark of what God has commanded of me as His follower. Below is a list of "good" things that the Bible very very clearly lays-out I am to be doing. In carefully reviewing and chewing on each good act, I must honestly admit that I have not been doing these things very well. Because my life has been too full of self-centeredness and "more pressing issues." I have known the good I ought to be doing, but I have not been fully doing it. 

I have been in sin.

Review this list with me:

Share your food with the hungry (Isaiah 58:7, Proverbs 22:9, Acts 20:35)

Provide the homeless with shelter (Isaiah 58:7, Matthew 6:2, Proverbs 19:17)

Work to alleviate the needs of the poor and the oppressed (Isaiah 58:10, Matt 6:2, Ps 82:3, Prov 21:13)

Bless and pray for anyone who mistreats or does evil against you. (Matthew 6:39-42, 44)

Use your time and your money to gain eternal treasures. (Matthew 6:19-24, 2 Corinthians 8, Luke 12:33)

Speak "only" what is helpful for building others up. (Ephesians 5:29, Ephesians 4:11)

Consider others as better than yourself. (1 Corinthians 10:24, Philippians 2:3-4)

Prioritize inner, spiritual beauty rather than vanity and physical beauty. (1 Peter 3:3-4)

Love the Lord with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, and ALL your strength. (Deut 6:5,10:12, Matt 22:37)


In considering all of these good works that are supposed to characterize my life, I have 3 main conclusions:

1) I must do better.
It is not enough to just avoid all the bad things. I need to also walk in the good things that are clearly commanded of me in the Bible. This will require self-denial - making the needs of others and the agenda of God more important than the issues of my own life. Jesus did not die just so I could have eternal life. He died so that I could be reconciled to God and therefore be an instrument of His love - through good works - to people in the world.

2) I need the filling of the Holy Spirit.
In my own strength and determination, I will not be able to be who God has called me to be. My only hope of impacting this world the way Christ has asked me to will be through the indwelling Holy Spirit who compels and empowers me to accomplish what I have neither the motivation or ability to do on my own.

3) I am so thankful for Jesus.
As much as my heart longs to be obedient to the Father by embracing a life of sacrificial good works, I know I will fail. I am human, I am sinful, and no matter how much I try, I will continue to fail. I will never live this life at a perfect level of holiness. Therefore, the blood of Jesus that covers my sin and my shortcoming is very, very valuable. Thank you, Jesus!