Do our good works profit God? Can we benefit God? Is God benefited by us in anyway?

Photos on this site were taken at High Hampton Inn in Cashiers, NC

Remember the children's song:

"Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today. He has no feet but our feet to lead men in the way. He has no tongue but our tongue to tell men how He died...?"

I remember singing that song as a child myself, which is probably why I was SHOCKED when I read the question in Job 22:1. "Can a man be profitable to God? "Yes," I said to myself, because as a child I understood that God needed me and if I didn't do good things for Him, He would not have good things done that He needed done.

What is the answer? Do out good works profit God?

Psalm 16:2 "My goodness extendeth not to thee." David, the writer of the Psalm, is saying, through the power of the Holy Spirit, that no goodness on his part extends, transfers, or benefits God.

God is wholly complete within Himself. He cannot be increased or diminished by anyone or anything. Nothing we bring to Him meets a need or assists Him in any matter whatsoever, because He has no need. He needs no assistance. He is God.

The song is blasphemous. It is irreverent and profane.   

God does not regard anything as being useful to Him when He instructs us to obey Him. Our obedience is not for His use, but for ours, because He cannot be profited. He has no consideration for His profit, but He regards that which is good for us and expedient for our salvation. It is in love that He instructs us to obey Him and live holy lives.

If we do well, it will return to us; if we do evil, it will be to our damage as well. As for God, He always remains in His majestic completeness.

We cannot diminish anything about God. We cannot deprive Him of what He has or who He is. We cannot do Him any injury. Not at all.  He looks to us for nothing to complete anything in Himself.

So what do we say to this truth?  Even though God is not profited by us in any way, it is true that He accepts the good that we do ["good" as defined in His word], and that He puts our "goodness" into His account, just as if it were worth something to Him.

It is important to realize that God does accept our good works, as defined in His word. They are like sacrifices, pleasing and of a good odor before Him. He also says that when we do well to others in need that He accepts it as done to Himself. "In that you did it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto Me," He says.

This doesn't mean that we added to His majesty in any way or that He is in any way dependent upon us to minister as if He could not do it Himself. After all He sent the Holy Spirit to do just that.

God has graciously commanded us to further His Kingdom (Matt.28:19,20). By doing so He is letting us be a part of His work on earth, His having already ordained that we would do so.

This is a beautiful truth. It lets us know even more that God loves us and desires that we be holy and happy, for our own good and His glory. [He is not made more glorious, of course, because He is already ALL GLORIOUS AND NOTHING CAN ADD TO OR TAKE AWAY FROM HIM IN ANY WAY.

  

The Covenant

I have left this beautiful truth on this site for months now, because it is so basic. I did not grow up knowing this. Even now I have to remind myself of it's application in my life. I am leaving it here a while longer in hopes that it will be a dear blessing to you.

In the book of beginnings-Genesis-we learn that God established an intimate relationship with Abraham. That relationship is known as a Covenant. It is the knowledge and understanding of that Covenant that refreshes and encourages us, giving us the completeness and the hope we need every day.

First, a Covenant can be between two parties of relative or comparable strength. Marriage is such a Covenant.

Second, a Covenant can be between two different & unequal parties, a relationship where all the benefits are one-sided. Such a Covenant is both a law relationship between two parties, and an act of grace. The greater gives his law to the lesser, as well as his care and protection, which is an act of grace. Such is the Covenant between God and man. It is a law relationship and a grace relationship at one and the same time.

This Covenant relationship is a family relationship. It expresses intimacy, making us one people. It is administered by the Lord Jesus. In other words, God not only gives us all things, but He administrates all things as well, and He does it through the Lord Jesus. He sees to it that everything works for the good of His children.

The promises of God make up the framework of the Covenant. They are all the promises God made to us, but especially the promise He made to Abraham, called the Everlasting Covenant: "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you" (Genesis 17:7 NKJV). Then God said it again in 2 Corinthians 6:6. Here it is: "...I will be their God and they shall be My people" (NKJV).

The bottom line is that Jesus Christ is the Servant, the Administrator of God's blessings. He brings them to us and to our children and our children's children. He doesn't say: "I've made you smart and capable, now get out there and provide for your own needs."

Christ says in Romans 15:8 that He "has become a servant." It's a permanent situation, one we can depend upon, one we can stake our lives upon. Christ brings to our understanding the promises of God. "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Romans 15:4 NAS).

IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS AND TRUST HIM FOR YOUR VERY LIFE, YOU CAN BE ASSURED THAT:

God will always be Your God and YOU we will always be His people. YOU can depend upon that. To learn more about God's Covenant:

1. Read His word.

2. Meditate upon His promises and talk to Him about them.

3. Get a copy of my book and read Chapter 8, "The Everlasting, Intimate Friendship."

4. Ask God to teach you more about His  Everlasting Covenant.