Seemingly Good Works

From truly good works we must distinguish those which, though outwardly in accord with God’s law, are performed not out of respect for it but only from natural inclination, propriety, necessity, or even with evil intent. Such lawful actions (actions legales) can be called seemingly good. They may have praise, but only from men, not from God, Who sees our heart and values our actions by its disposition (2 Cor. 9:7). Whoever honors God with lips only and not with heart honors Him in vain (Matt. 15:8–9). “What is not in the heart,” says Tikhon of Voronezh, “is not in the thing itself. Faith is not faith, love is not love, when not in the heart, but is hypocrisy. Humility is not humility but pretense when not in the heart. Friendship is not friendship but bitter enmity when it appears only outwardly and does not dwell in the heart.”