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At work, people are measured by key performance indicators (KPIs). These work performance benchmarks can be anything from promptness of greeting customers to dollar contributions to the Company bottom-line. The Bible also has its set of performance measures. Instead of KPIs, they are called “good works”. Interestingly, there is no mention of “good works” in the Old Testament. Under the OT Law, it was trouble enough for people to keep God’s statutes to appease Him. In the New Testament, however, the Lord Jesus Christ’s has sealed our right standing before God, and soothed the wrath of God on our behalf. So, we can progress from self-directed checks to appease God to self-giving acts to please God. There are 23 exact references to “good works” in the New Testament (KJV).
Examples of good works abound. In the early Jerusalem Church, wealthy believers sold what they had and distributed to all as there was need. In Joppa, Dorcas made many coats and garments for widows and gave alms (Acts 9:36, 39). Raising children in the fear of the Lord is a good deed as is hospitality (1 Tim. 5:10) and being orderly citizens (Tit. 3:1). The Lord Jesus himself is the best example of good works. In compassion, He fed the hungry, healed the sick, and even gave new life to the dead.
The goal of meeting the KPIs at work is the dollar reward. In God’s kingdom, there is the crown reward. The crowns we can work towards are: the “crown of life” for patiently enduring trials (Jam. 1:12 and Rev. 2:10), the “incorruptible crown” for discipline in our bodies (1 Cor. 9:25-27), the “crown of righteousness” for those who love the Lord’s appearing (2 Tim. 4:8), and the “crown of rejoicing” for winning souls (1 Thess. 2:19). Elders who lead by their “own good example” receive an extra – the “crown of glory” (1 Pet. 5:2-4).
God’s salvation is free. However, sanctification costs something – our time, talent and treasure, collectively borne out in “good works”. We are to abound in the work of the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58). We are not to be “unfruitful” (Tit. 3:14, KJV) or “unproductive” (NIV); the Greek root word means “not yielding what it ought to”. We want to be confident and “not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming” (1 Jn. 2:28, NASB). Though we fathom precious little now, we want to have as many crowns as possible in heaven to cast at the Lord Jesus’ feet.
