Matthew 7:21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Again, on a personal level, the practice of salvation by works is based upon quid pro quo where persons do good and right things expecting to receive some benefit in return. Doing the right thing, in any form or fashion, where the primary motivation is a return on investment, falls short of the gold standard, and should be strictly avoided wherever possible. According to the Bible, when Jesus comes the 2nd time, many people will be expecting to be ushered into His kingdom based upon meritorious work.
They kept a list of the many good things that they did and now, as far as expectation goes, they believe it is time for Jesus to return the favors, with a one-way ticket to glory. But too late persons find out that God’s kingdom is not based on quid pro quo, and now, even though they make mention of their long list of good deeds, Christ isn’t buying it because their motivations were not honorable. In other words, they were doing the right things for the wrong reasons.
[2] Quid Pro Quo on a church/ state level. Quid pro quo is so pervasive that it can be observed also, on a church level where politicians may offer to fund certain programs and educational endeavors of the church, in exchange for some favor. Remember, the foundational principles of quid pro quo involve a favor or advantage that is granted, or expected in return for something. When this occurs it very often blurs the lines between the church and state.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!