On the doctrine of divine predestination, I am still puzzled about some of those who would be sent to hell. What about those Catholic nuns who care for needy people – someone like Mother Teresa?
Although the context is predestination, it is possible to direct this question regarding the “good” works of non-Christians to the whole biblical faith, and especially to the doctrine of justification by faith. All Christians believe that man cannot be saved by works, but your question implies a rejection of justification by faith. If you think this way, then the doctrine of predestination is the least of your problems.
Just because a nun appears to have done some good works does not make any difference unless she truly trusted Christ for salvation. To assist or unite humanity without God and without true religion is only an attempt at building Babel. It is a man-centered attempt at building up humanity. It is rebellion disguised as righteousness and compassion. The “good” works of non-Christians are not designed to promote faith in Christ and obedience to God, but to maintain men’s defiance, so that they will not trust or worship God.
If we declare our works as the point of reference for good and evil, then we have already succumbed to the original temptation of Satan, making ourselves equal with God. This is the wickedness that underlies your question, and the wickedness that is in your heart. A “good” work is truly a good work only because it is so on God’s terms, and not because it has the approval of men.
As long as they remain non-Christians, their so-called “good” works are still sinful, and incur God’s wrath. The difference is that these “good” works, since they demonstrate a superficial agreement with God’s precepts, are often considered less wicked than their other deeds. Still, it is not necessarily true that the “good” works of the non-Christians are always less wicked than their other works, because God also takes into account their motives and attitudes.
If a non-Christian performs what seems to be a “good” deed, such as feeding a beggar, but if he does it out of a wicked motive (admiration for his own compassion, asserting humanity’s independence from God, etc.), then it is probably counted as even more wicked than if he performs an obviously wicked deed, such as kicking the beggar in the face.
Paul writes: “As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:9). Once a person accepts a false religion or worldview, it becomes irrelevant whether he still appears to do good works, because “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). These are not really good works, and the person is headed straight to endless suffering in hell.