According to scripture everything that proceeds from your heart is evil and defiles you:
Our works stem not from ourselves but from the Holy Spirit. I suspect that the things we happen to think are really nice things to do aren't works of God at all; while those things we do without even consciously thinking about it are.
Jesus is the vine and we are His branches. He promises us our fruit so why should we worry about what is fruit and what isn't? We should just sit and rest in Him knowing that He will produce in us the things that He wants. And yes, we want to be obedient to His commandments as we grow near to Him.
Amen
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Parallel
RSV 29: Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
NRSV 29 Jesus answered them, `This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.'
Douay 29 Jesus answered, and said to them: This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he hath sent.
NAB 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent."
KJV 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
WEB 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
ESV 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
NASB 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."
NIV 29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
YOUNG 29 Jesus answered and said to them, `This is the work of God, that ye may believe in him whom He did send.'
Greek 29: apekriqh <611> (5662) o <3588> {ANSWERED} ihsouV <2424> {JESUS} kai <2532> {AND} eipen <2036> (5627) {SAID} autoiV <846> {TO THEM,} touto <5124> {THIS} estin <2076> (5748) {IS} to <3588> {THE} ergon <2041> tou <3588> {WORK} qeou <2316> {OF GOD,} ina <2443> {THAT} pisteushte <4100> (5661) {YE SHOULD BELIEVE} eiV <1519> {ON} on <3739> {HIM WHOM} apesteilen <649> (5656) {SENT} ekeinoV <1565> {HE.}
Vulgate 29 respondit Iesus et dixit eis hoc est opus Dei ut credatis in eum quem misit ille
ASV 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Darby 29Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom *he* has sent.
NKJV 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
Other Related Passages
John 3 17: For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
1 Thessalonians 1 3: remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
James 2 22: You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works,
1 John 3 23: And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
Revelation 2 26: He who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, I will give him power over the nations,
Library References
Clement of Alexandria [150-215 AD]
The Stromata (Book IV)
The same work, then, presents a difference, according as it is done by fear, or accomplished by love, and is wrought by faith or by knowledge. Rightly, therefore, their rewards are different. To the Gnostic "are prepared what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man;" but to him who has exercised simple faith He testifies a hundredfold in return for what he has left, -- a promise which has turned out to fall within human comprehension. Come to this point, I recollect one who called himself a Gnostic. For, expounding the words, "But i say unto you, he that looketh on a woman to lust after, hath committed adultery," he thought that it was not bare desire that was condemned; but if through the desire the act that results from it proceeding beyond the desire is accomplished in it. For dream employs phantasy and the body. Accordingly, the historians relate the following decision, of Bocchoris the just. A youth, falling in love with a courtezan, persuades the girl, for a stipulated reward, to come to him next day. But his desire being unexpectedly satiated, by laying hold of the girl in a dream, by anticipation, when the object of his love came according to stipulation, he prohibited her from coming in. But she, on learning what had taken place, demanded the reward, saying that in this way she had sated the lover's desire. They came accordingly to the judge. He, ordering the youth to hold out the purse containing the reward in the sun, bade the courtezan take hold of the shadow; facetiously bidding him pay the image of a reward for the image of an embrace. [Read More]
Origen [185-254 AD] Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Book XIII) But to me it seems that, to the case of him who after being thrice admonished was adjudged to be as the Gentile and the publican, it is fitly subjoined, "Verily, I say unto you,"--namely, to those who have judged any one to be as the Gentile and the publican,--"and what things soever ye shall bind on the earth," etc.; for with justice has he, who has thrice admonished and not been heard, bound him who is judged to be as a Gentile and a publican; wherefore, when such an one is bound and condemned by one of this character, he remains bound, as no one of those in heaven overturns the judgment of the man who bound him. And, in like manner, he who was admonished once for all, and did things worthy of being gained, having been set free by the admonition of the man who gained him, and no longer bound by the cords of his own sins, for which he was admonished, shall be adjudged to have been set free by those in heaven. Only, it seems to be indicated that the things, which above were granted to Peter alone, are here given to all who give the three admonitions to all that have sinned; so that, if they be not heard, they will bind on earth him who is judged to be as a Gentile and a publican, as such an one has been bound in heaven. But since it was necessary, even if something in common had been said in the case of Peter and those who had thrice admonished the brethren, that Peter should have some element superior to those who thrice admonished, in the case of Peter, this saying "I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens," has been specially set before the words, "And what things soever ye shall bind on earth," etc. And, indeed, if we were to attend carefully to the evangelical writings, we would also find here, and in relation to those things which seem to be common to Peter and those who have thrice admonished the brethren, a great difference and a pre-eminence in the things said to Peter, compared with the second class. For it is no small difference that Peter received the keys not of one heaven but of more, and in order that whatsoever things he binds on the earth may be bound not in one heaven but in them all, as compared with the many who bind on earth and loose on earth, so that these things are bound and loosed not in the heavens, as in the case of Peter, but in one only; for they do not reach so high a stage, with power as Peter to bind and loose in all the heavens. The better, therefore, is the binder, so much more blessed is he who has been loosed, so that in every part of the heavens his loosing has been accomplished. [Read More]
John Chrysostom, St [347-407 AD]
Homily 44 on the Gospel of John 1. The mild and gentle is not always useful, but there are times when the teacher needs sharper language. For if the disciple be dull and gross, then, in order to touch his dullness to the quick, we must rouse him with a goad. And this the Son of God hath done in the present as well as in many other cases. For when the crowds had come and found Jesus, and were flattering Him, and saying," Master, when camest Thou hither?" to show that He desireth not honor from men, but looketh to one thing only, their salvation, He answereth them sharply, wishing to correct them not in this way only, but also by revealing and exposing their thoughts. For what saith He? "Verily, verily, I say unto you," (speaking positively and with a confirmation,) "Ye seek Me, not because ye saw miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled." He chideth and reproveth them by these words, yet doth not so abruptly or violently, but very sparingly. For He saith not, "O ye gluttons and belly-slaves, I have wrought so many wonders, and ye never have either followed Me, or marveled at My doings"; but mildly and gently somewhat in this manner; "Ye seek Me, not because ye saw miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled"; speaking not only of the past, but also of the present miracle. "It was not," He saith, "the miracle of the loaves that astonished you, but the being filled." And that He said not this of them by conjecture they straightway showed, for on this account they came the second time, as being about to enjoy the same (food) as before. Wherefore they said, "Our fathers did eat manna in the wilderness." Again they draw Him to charge against them. But He stoppeth not at rebukes, but addeth instruction also, saying, "Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life." [Read More]
Homily 69 on the Gospel of John As though He had said, "Why fear ye to believe on Me? Faith passeth to the Father through Me, as doth also unbelief." See how in ever) way He showeth the unvaryingness of His Essence. He said not, He that believeth "Me," lest any should assert that He spake concerning His words; this might have been said in the case of mere men, for he that believeth the Apostles, believeth not them, but God. But that thou mightest learn that He speaketh here of the belief on His Essence, He said not, "He that believeth My words," but, "He that believeth on Me." "And wherefore," saith some one, believeth not on the Father but on Me?" Because they would have replied, "Lo, we believe on the Father, but we believe not on thee." Their disposition was as yet too infirm. Anyhow, conversing with the disciples, He did speak thus: "Ye believe on the Father, believe also on Me" (c. xiv. 1); but seeing that these then were too weak to hear such words, He leadeth them in another way, showing that it is not possible to believe on the Father, without believing on Him. And that thou mayest not deem that the words are spoken as of man, He addeth, Ver. 45. "He that seeth Me, seeth Him that sent Me." [Read More]
What then! Is God a body? By no means. The "seeing" of which He here speaketh is that of the mind, thence showing the Consubstantiality. And what is, "He that believeth on Me"? It is as though one should say, "He that taketh water from the river, taketh it not from the river but from the fountain"; or rather this image is too weak, when compared with the matter before us. [Read More]
Homily 74 on the Gospel of John Ver. 12. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to the Father." [Read More]
Homily 11 on Hebrews "For men verily swear by the greater, and an Oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. But God because He could swear by no greater, sware by Himself." Well, who then is He that sware unto Abraham? Is it not the SON? No, one says. Certainly indeed it was He: however, I shall not dispute [thereon]. So when He is it not plain that it was because He could not swear by any greater? For as the Father sware, so also the Son sweareth by Himself, saying, "Verily, verily, I say unto you." He here reminds them also of the oaths of Christ, which He was constantly uttering. never die." (John xi. 26.) [Read More]
Augustine of Hippo, St [354-430 AD] Sermon 93 on the New Testament 1. The medicine for all the wounds of the soul, and the one propitiation for the offences of men, is to believe on Christ; nor can any one be cleansed at all, whether from original sin which he derived from Adam, in whom all men have sinned, and become by nature children of wrath; or from the sins which they have themselves added, by not resisting the concupiscence of the flesh, but by following and serving it in unclean and injurious deeds: unless by faith they are united and compacted into His Body, who was conceived without any enticement of the flesh and deadly pleasure,
Scripture leaves no doubt who is guiding the works of believers.
Phil. 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Eph. 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
It is so clear as you study the Scriptures that institutional "orthodoxy" has turned away from Scripture in order to empower itself and make believers dependent upon it. In the process they have instituted heresy in the place of Truth. The idea that your works contribute to your salvation is almost as bad as kneeling before idols, maybe worse.