BEREAN.AI ← Ask a Question

Rarity of Well Done at Judgment in the Bible

The concept of "doing well" or performing "good works" is a recurring theme in biblical texts, often connected to divine judgment and the nature of God's interaction with humanity. While the Bible emphasizes the importance of good deeds, it also highlights the rarity of true goodness in humanity apart from divine intervention, and the difficulty of standing in judgment based on one's own merit.

The Old Testament introduces the idea of doing well early on. In Genesis, God tells Cain, "If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door" [3]. This establishes a direct link between one's actions and their consequences, suggesting that doing good leads to acceptance, while failing to do so opens the door to sin. The Psalms frequently speak of the blessedness of those who act righteously. For instance, "It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment" [2]. This verse implies that a person who consistently demonstrates grace and generosity will be vindicated when facing judgment. Similarly, the goodness of God is a foundational truth, with passages like Psalms 72:18 declaring, "Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds" [1]. Another translation renders this as "who alone doth wonderful things" [6]. This divine goodness is extended to humanity, particularly to "Israel," understood both literally as the chosen nation and spiritually as those whom God has chosen and redeemed by grace [8].

Despite these injunctions and affirmations of goodness, the biblical narrative also suggests that human goodness is often lacking. The prophet Isaiah laments the state of his people, and the Apostle Paul later applies Isaiah's words to highlight the scarcity of a righteous remnant: "Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant" [9]. This indicates that even in times of widespread wickedness, God preserves a small group of faithful individuals, not due to their inherent merit, but due to His "super abounding goodness" and election of grace [9]. Noah, for example, "found grace in the eyes of the Lord" amidst a world given over to apostasy, serving as an exception to the general corruption [10]. His salvation was attributed to God's grace and choice, rather than his own merits [10].

The New Testament continues to emphasize the importance of good works, but also clarifies their role in salvation and judgment. Christians are exhorted to be "of good behaviour among the Gentiles," so that their "good works" may lead others to "give glory to God when he comes to be their judge" [5]. This suggests that good works serve as a testimony to God's transformative power in believers' lives. However, the New Testament also makes it clear that justification is "unattainable by" works [4]. Instead, good works are seen as "fruits of righteousness" that are "by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God" [4]. They are performed by those who "abide in Christ" and are "wrought by God in us" [4].

The difficulty of achieving true goodness in the eyes of God, and thus standing in judgment, is underscored by the concept of predestination. This doctrine, found in passages like Romans 8:29-30 and Ephesians 1:5, 11, refers to God's eternal purpose of salvation and His "determinate purpose" governing all events [7]. While acknowledging the "many difficulties" and "secret things" associated with this doctrine, it implies that human salvation and ultimate goodness are ultimately rooted in God's sovereign plan rather than human effort alone [7].

The "scarcity" of the righteous and the severity of the judgment are further highlighted in 1 Peter 4:18, which states, "scarcely shall the righteous be saved" [11]. This passage, interpreted by some as referring to the trying chastisements and difficult ordeal the righteous must pass through, emphasizes that salvation, even for the righteous, is not a given and requires divine intervention [11]. The "scarcely" points to the human unlikelihood of sustaining such an ordeal, but the "righteousness of Christ and God's everlasting covenant make it all sure" [11]. This perspective suggests that while God is good to His people [8], and those who are "godly" are "set apart" by the Lord for Himself [14], the path to salvation is challenging and ultimately dependent on God's grace and Christ's work.

The biblical understanding of "good" is deeply intertwined with God's character. Micah 7:18-20 provides a summary of Old Testament theology, emphasizing God's uniqueness and His "unfailing love (Hebrew khesed)" which leads Him not to destroy but to restore His people [13]. His faithfulness ensures that He can be trusted to "do good regardless of the cost to himself" [13]. This divine goodness is the ultimate standard and source of all true goodness. Therefore, while humans are called to "hate evil" and "love good" [12], and to seek justice, the ability to do so effectively and to stand blameless in judgment is presented as a rare achievement, ultimately dependent on God's grace and His work in individuals.

Sources

  1. Psalms “Psalms 72:18 (BSB) — Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.”
  2. Psalms “It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment. -- Psalms 112:5”
  3. Genesis “If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.” -- Genesis 4:7”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Works, Good — Christ, an example of -- Joh 10:32; Ac 10:38. Called Good fruits. -- Jas 3:17. Fruits meet for repentance. -- Mt 3:8. Fruits of righteousness. -- Php 1:11. Works and labours of love. -- Heb 6:10. Are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God -- Php 1:11. They alone, who abide in Christ can perform -- Joh 15:4,5. Wrought by God in us -- Isa 26:12; Php 2:13. The Scripture designed to lead us to -- 2Ti 3:16,17; Jas 1:25. To be performed in Christ's name -- Col 3:17. Heavenly wisdom is full of -- Jas 3:17. Justification unattainable by -- Ro 3:20; Ga 2”
  5. I Peter “I Peter 2:12 (BBE) — Being of good behaviour among the Gentiles; so that though they say now that you are evil-doers, they may see your good works and give glory to God when he comes to be their judge.”
  6. Psalms “Psalms 71:18 (DRC) — Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone doth wonderful things.”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
  8. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 73:1: Truly God is good to Israel,.... To Israel, literally understood; in choosing them to be his people above all people on earth; in bringing them into a good land; in favouring them with many external privileges, civil and religious; in giving them his word, statutes, and ordinances, as he did not to other nations: or, spiritually understood, the Israel whom God has chosen, redeemed, and called by his special grace; verily of a truth, God is good to these; there is abundant proof and evidence of it; See Gill on Psa 34:8, or "only" God is good to such; though he is goo”
  9. Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 1:9: Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant,.... This is an instance of the super abounding goodness of the Lord of hosts, as the Targum expresses it; that he should, in those very wicked and calamitous times, leave and reserve a few from being defiled with the sins of the age, and from being involved in the general calamity of it; which was true of the Christian Jews at the time of Jerusalem's destruction; for that this prophecy belongs to these times is clear from the application of it by the Apostle Paul, Rom 9:29 and which confirms the sense give”
  10. Genesis (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Genesis 6:8: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This man and his family were the only exception to the general apostasy; God always reserves some, in the worst of times, for himself; there is a remnant, according to the election of grace; it was but a small one, and that now appeared; and this was owing to the grace of God, and his choice upon that, and not to the merits of the creature. This grace, which Noah found and shared in, was the favour and good will of God; Noah was grateful and acceptable to him; he was well pleased with him in Christ; his person, services, a”
  11. 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 4:18: scarcely--Compare "so as by fire," Co1 3:15; having to pass through trying chastisements, as David did for his sin. "The righteous" man has always more or less of trial, but the issue is certain, and the entrance into the kingdom abundant at last. The "scarcely" marks the severity of the ordeal, and the unlikelihood (in a mere human point of view) of the righteous sustaining it; but the righteousness of Christ and God's everlasting covenant make it all sure. ungodly--having no regard for God; negative description. sinner--loving sin; positive; the”
  12. Amos (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Amos 5:15: Hate . . . evil . . . love . . . good-- (Isa 1:16-17; Rom 12:9). judgment in the gate--justice in the place where causes are tried. it may be that the Lord . . . will be gracious--so, "peradventure" (Exo 32:30). Not that men are to come to God with an uncertainty whether or no He will be gracious: the expression merely implies the difficulty in the way, because of the want of true repentance on man's part, so as to stimulate the zealous earnestness of believers in seeking God (compare Gen 16:2; Joe 2:14; Act 8:22). the remnant of Joseph--(see Amo 5”
  13. Micah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Micah 7:18: 7:18-20 These verses provide a fine brief summary of Old Testament theology. God is unique; there is no one and nothing else like him. Because of his unfailing love (Hebrew khesed), he does not destroy his people whom he judges but instead restores them (see Exod 36:6-7). His faithfulness means that he can be trusted to do good regardless of the cost to himself (see Ps 89:1-2). • Where is another God like you: This question probably plays off of Micah’s name (“Who is like the Lord?”). God’s character is unequaled among the gods of the nations. His actions and words”
  14. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 4:3: But know,.... Take notice of it, consider it, be assured of the truth, of it; it may be depended upon as fact, that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: which may be understood of David himself, an holy good man; a man after God's own heart; whom the Lord chose, and in a marvellous manner separated from the rest of his brethren; took him from the sheepfold, and set him upon the throne of Israel, for the glory of his great name; and therefore the attempts of his enemies against him would be without success: and also of the Messiah, God's Holy One, wh”
Ask Your Own Question
About Terms Privacy Contact

© 2026 BEREAN.AI. All rights reserved.