Doing Good and Doing Right

Doing good without doing what is right in God's eyes can lead to spiritual compromise. God's righteousness must define what is good, not our own compassion or reasoning.  Even if someone seems to do "good" by supporting a family, if it involves breaking laws or harming others (like selling harmful products such as illegal cigarettes), it cannot be justified as right.

God wants us to love mercy and do justice. Mercy must not cancel justice. We can be compassionate to someone in need, but still uphold righteousness. Mercy and justice are not opposites; they work together under God's truth and good intentions don’t justify wrong doing. 

Proverbs 14:12 – “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”

Just because something feels right or seems compassionate doesn't mean it's spiritually safe. If a law enforcer allows someone to continue sinning (continue to do wrong) out of pity, that person may never feel the need to change and come to repentance — and repentance is necessary for salvation.

Romans 6:1-2 – “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”

Grace and mercy are not a license to continue in sin. Real love seeks to bring a person into truth, not leave them in spiritual danger.  True love leads to repentance and restoration.  Allowing someone to stay in sin might seem kind, but it's not true love. True love corrects with grace, guiding others toward repentance.

If someone is struggling, we can help in practical ways (support, job help or encouragement). We can advise the man selling illegal cigarettes to seek other means to make a living or refer him to some charitable organizations.  

From a biblical perspective, good intentions do not override God's standards of righteousness. The key is to share this truth in a gracious and compassionate way, without sounding judgmental or rigid, but also without compromising on God's truth.