All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes: but the LORD weighs the motives. Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established (Prov 15:2,3).
Paul describes the new covenant as the ministry of the Holy Spirit in contrast to the ministry of the law (2 Cor 3:9). With a gift of faith in Christ, one receives indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and all benefits of redemption come by way of the Spirit. In one’s submitting to the transforming work of the Spirit, a believer learns to walk in the ways of righteousness and thereby glorify the Father in heaven. While the ways of man may appear clean in his own eyes, there are often hidden motives behind our deeds such as seeking the approval of others or of being recognized for what is done in the name of Jesus Christ. We must allow our thoughts to be directed by the Spirit and commit our works to the LORD alone, realizing fully that only what God does through us by Holy Spirit will have any enduring value at the time of judgment (Eccl 3:14). Nothing done in our own might or ability will have an eternal value.
