Twice in Paulβs epistles he refers to βdead worksβ. In Hebrews 6:1 he writes about βrepentance from dead worksβ, while in HebrewsΒ 9:14Β he declares that the blood of Christ avails to βpurge the conscience from dead works to serve theΒ livingΒ Godβ.
Mark well, these references are not toΒ wickedΒ works but toΒ deadΒ works. These βdead worksβ are the so-called βgood worksβ (whether moral or ceremonial) which men did β and still do β to make themselves acceptable to God. They are βdeadβ because they are not the product of regeneration or spiritual life, but the mere attempt on the part of unregenerate sinners to justify themselves before God.
Paul himself, once zealously religious, but wholly unsaved, had to repudiate his βdead worksβ and count them βlossβ to find salvation in Christ, through whom alone he could produce good works which God could accept. (See Philippians 3:4-9).
This is why he later declared by divine inspiration: βFor by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God:Β Not of works,Β lest any man should boast, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ JesusΒ unto good worksβ¦β (Eph.2:8-10).
βDead worksβ are not only unacceptable to God, but an evil substitute for the faith He desires, βfor without faith it is impossible to please Godβ (Heb.11:6). But βhe that believeth on the Son of God hath lifeβ and this life is bound to bearΒ fruitβ the good works with which God is truly pleased.
The difference between the βgood worksβ of the unregenerate man and the βgood worksβ of a true believer, then, is that the former are βdead worksβ while the latter are the precious fruit of life possessed.
No man can please God while he denies the truth of His Word or rejects His Son, so graciously given to die on the cross as our Saviour:
βThe Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hands. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. And he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on himβ (JohnΒ 3:35,36). source
