Goodness (def) - the quality of being morally good or virtuous. In our attempt to "be all we can be" we can sometimes get sidetracked and in the wrong vein when it comes to being "good."
How good is our goodness? The righteousness we have in Christ is not built on our goodness or our moral character. It is established by the grace of God. Our very best comes in last in the righteous race. Only the righteousness of God will ever be enough!
A businessman well known for his ruthlessness once announced to writer Mark Twain, "Before I die I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I will climb Mount Sinai and read the 10 Commandments aloud at the top." "I have a better idea," replied Twain. "You could stay in Boston and keep them." Talking about and acknowledging the commandments is one thing and keeping them is most definitely a whole different story. In our walk with God, we realize there is a "good" way to live and then there is a "better" way to live, and that life is lived in the righteousness of God. Paul wrote this in 2 Corinthians 3:7 The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. 11 So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever! Our "good" is not good enough! It is only by the grace of God that we are good and that goodness only comes through Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5: 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
The term "good" can cause a lot of problems for fallen people, especially if fallen people begin to believe they are not that bad and getting better every day. If I am good, it means I can be “better than you” and that is the opposite of what Jesus taught. On the other hand, if I am bad then it means I am worse than you. Our righteousness comes from God because we live in His righteousness alone. God doesn't classify goodness as we do and the following scripture tells a lot. Luke 18: 18 A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept since my youth.” 22 Now when Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy. 24 And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!” 26 Those who heard Him said, “And so who can be saved?” 27 But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”
We are instructed to come boldly before the throne of grace only because of what Jesus made possible for us through His sacrifice. Our goodness has nothing to do with our capability to approach God in such a manner. That avenue was opened to us by God. Just living a good life is not enough, and living a Godly life made possible through the grace of God IS the "good life." That way we don't look down on others but realize that the ground is level at the foot of the cross.
Just a thought…. self-righteous individuals have a bad attitude: They’re intolerant, smug, and sanctimonious, and—overly confident about their righteousness or moral superiority—they attempt to “lord” it over others, unjustifiably putting them down as weak, dependent, and indiscriminately placing collective faith over individualized, non-religious experience. On the contrary, the righteous are assumed to be humble, devout, and dutifully revering God as He’s worshipfully depicted in the Holy Scriptures. Moreover, it’s not the righteous but the self-righteous who implicitly (and unjustifiably) declare themselves “holier than thou.” That is not good. That is bad. Time to repent and embrace the goodness of God.
Paul wrote this about Jesus in Philippians 2: 7 but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. Jesus made Himself sin so that we might be made right or good with God. He is the one who is to be praised and worshipped, not us. Our walk with God is us constantly realizing just how good God's forgiveness is and living in that forgiveness as we grow in the grace He has provided.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The Pilgrimage Continues
David Warren
Comments