Afternoon Y'all! I pray this post encourages you and gives God glory! Got suggested topics you want me to write about? Please comment below or email me at info@mocatoday.com.
Well, Hurricane Isaias brought a big storm to my area with strong winds, rain, and multiple tornado warnings throughout last night and early this morning. We've been without power for several hours now and there's no ETA on when it will be restored. But, thanks to God's protection, no one was hurt, and our home wasn't damaged. Sending thoughts and prayers to those not so fortunate. May God comfort you, and give you His strength, and favor during this time!
Are you a good person?
Do a lot of good things for yourself, others, and causes?
If so, that's great!
You're likely making a positive impact and difference!
But, is being a good person and doing good things, good enough to get into heaven? In other words, do we earn eternal life in heaven from simply being a good person and doing good works?
Short Answer:
No! Yet, many are deceived into believing this lie.
Long Answer:
1. We are not good. And, it's not our goodness that saves us.
Despite what we may think about ourselves and our "good" works, only God is good and the source of good. This is true because Jesus said so (Mark 10:18), but also because God is holy, morally perfect, without sin, and has no evil (absence of goodness) in Him.
So, when we say we're good, we need to compare our goodness to God's standard of what good is. When we do, we'll easily conclude that we're not good. And, are instead, sinners that fall short of God's standards and glory (Ecclesiastes 7:20, Romans 3:23), in need of a Savior (Jesus Christ) or face eternal death.
In fact, the Word of God teaches we're born into sin and iniquity (Psalm 51:5). Furthermore, the Bible teaches there's not a single person that comes close to God's standard of goodness and righteousness, apart from Him.
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. -Psalm 100:5 (NKJV)
We are all dirty with sin. Even our good works are not pure. They are like bloodstained rags. We are all like dead leaves. Our sins have carried us away like wind. -Isaiah 64:6 (ERV)
As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;" -Romans 3:10 (NIV)
2. Since God is good and is the source of good, then by His sheer nature, He abhors sin and must judge it (Romans 2:5). The price (or wages) of sin is death (eternal punishment and torment) (Romans 6:23).
But, there's hope in Jesus Christ alone! Christ was born, died a horrific death, and resurrected three days later to pay the sin debt in full for all those that believe in Him, so we can have eternal life in heaven and no longer be separated from God.
A helpful article explains, "Ultimately, God’s goodness is seen in His plan to redeem us from sin. The gospel is “good news". In His goodness, God sent His Son to become the perfect and blameless sacrifice so we could be forgiven of our sins. God does not want “anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), and it is “the goodness of God that leads thee to repentance” (Romans 2:4)."
This means, it's not by our "good" works, but by God's grace and our belief in Jesus Christ that secures our salvation and eternal life in heaven. Romans 10:8-9, “This is the message of faith that we proclaim: If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. -Mark 16:16 (NKJV)
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16 (NIV)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. -John 14:6 (NKJV)
And they answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus [as your personal Savior and entrust yourself to Him] and you will be saved, you and your household [if they also believe]." -Acts 16:31 (AMP)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. -Ephesians 2:8-9 (ERV)
3. Wait, there's more! From our genuine belief in Jesus Christ, there should be a pursuit in having a personal relationship with Him.
The fruit of that personal relationship is obedience, good works, ability for the Holy Spirit to indwell, and God's power to turn away from a willful, habitual path (or life) of committing sin and evil.
In other words, when we allow Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Savior, we're not only saved from eternal death, we also gain access to the source of true goodness and possess the capacity to express His goodness in how we think, act, and feel.
Therefore, by their fruits you will know them. -Matthew 7:20 (NKJV)
So, is being a good person, good enough? No! Instead, we must repent of our sins, ask for God's forgiveness, and make Jesus Christ Lord and Savior of our lives.
I stand with the folks at Truelife.org in urging— If you have lived with the heavy burden of trying to be good enough to get into heaven, let me invite you to lay that burden down today. It’s a burden you can’t carry. Trust in Jesus. He is the one who said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30).
-Natasha
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Remember, it's all about progression, not perfection! God loves you! With Him, you got this! Until next post, may God give you His peace and blessings!
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