Romans 7.4 states because you are united with the One who was raised from the dead, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.

Everyone wants to do good. Its in our nature to want to do good deeds that generates recognition of our goodness. We have this nature because we were created in the image of God Who is good.

Our original design was for us to always do good for the glory of God but now that we have been corrupted through generational disobedience to God we seek to do good to obtain esteem from one another. What we recognize is this inherent need and desire to do good.

The key to really doing good is to do so under the definition of the One Who determines what truly is good. The running back who runs the ball all the way into the end zone has done good for his team only if he has taken the ball into the appropriate end zone.

Doing good is only good if the good we do meets the definition of the One Who decides what is good. The Bible asserts that until we are rightly connected to God, and this happens only through Jesus the Savior, we are incapable of doing any good.

This is a stumbling block to those who have their own definition of good and insist that God follow their definition. God doesn’t submit Himself to the beliefs of people, He requires people to submit their beliefs to Him. This truth is fundamental to the entire concept of God.

The good God requires and desires is the good that glorifies Him and accomplishes His purposes. What is this good?

First, all good is to be done to magnify Jesus. Everything we do that exalts Jesus is good. When He receives the credit, the honor, the glory, the praise that is good. This is the entire objective of God in man, the Holy Spirit, to exalt Jesus the Savior so that He can attract all people to Himself.

Second, the work of God is the restoration of humanity to Himself through Jesus the Savior. Therefore the work that is truly good, the deeds that are most good are those that help people understand their disconnect from God and the means to reconnect to God.

God came to earth to restore people into a relationship with Himself. Those who do good for God are those who facilitate that restoration of relationship.

The work of God in His people is for His people to be fruitful in the restoration of all people to God Himself through Jesus the Savior.

We were made by a good God to do good works that result in the goodness of God being recognized in heaven and on earth forever by all creation.