Are you a good person?
Our knee-jerk reaction say “Yes!”
”I give money to the poor, ” “help my elderly neighbor,” or “volunteer after school to help low-income children learn to read,” are some responses people may provide.
Often, we compare ourselves to others by thinking, “Indeed, I am a good person compared to Hitler, my accountant, or even the person in the car behind me who blew their horn at me and flashed an obscene gesture my way.”
But are we left with these subjective comparisons of goodness?
Is there an objective truth that allows us to assess our goodness properly?
Thankfully, there is, and that objective truth is the Bible.
The one we should genuinely be comparing ourselves to is the God of the Bible. He is the objective standard, and His standard is perfection (Matthew 5:48). He also gave us a set of laws that we can use to evaluate our goodness, called the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-16). One of the Ten Commandments states that you shall not steal (Exodus 20:15), which means even that nice-looking pencil you took from your friend in the second grade violates that command. Another one states you shall not bear false witness against you neighbor (Exodus 20:16). Have you ever told a lie? We all have, which means this commandment has also been broken.
This can be a bit overwhelming when we look at God’s perfect standard; however, instead of giving up in despair and turning away from Him, this should cause us to humble ourselves before Him, call out to Him, and admit we cannot live a perfect life (John 6:44; Acts 11:18; John 1:9). It is only then, when we humbly submit ourselves before a holy God, confess our sins, and exercise faith in Him, that we can be made right (or “good”) with God.
A true follower of Christ will bear fruit in line with repentance, a change of attitude and action form sin toward obedience to God (Matthew 3:8; Luke 3:8).
I want to share my testimony on how the Lord graciously saved me (Ephesians 2:5).
My mother took my brother, sister, and I routinely as children to church, and I enjoyed attending church.
She asked the class if we had ever reached the point where we acknowledged these truths, and I honestly had to say to myself: I had not.
At this point, I did not fully grasp my sins, how they separated me from a genuine relationship with God, and the implications for my soul if I were to die that day.
This message sparked my interest, and I wanted to know more. I remember speaking with my Sunday school teacher about this after class and later with my younger brother and sister. Eventually, after about a week had passed with me contemplating these conversations, my mom sat myself and my siblings down and presented the gospel to us.
The Bible states that the life of Christians will be challenging. I have not always lived a life that honors God, even after becoming a Christian, but I am thankful for the ability to acknowledge my sins and repent. I am also grateful that those the Father gives to Christ; He will lose none of them (John 6:37-40).
So, do you know the God of the scriptures?
This is my testimony of how the Lord graciously saved me. The bad news is that all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The Lord’s standard is perfection, and we all (including me) miss that standard daily. Man is at enmity with God!
Because of our sin and rebellion, we all justly deserve death and eternal separation (hell) from a righteous and holy God.
However, the good news is that God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins AND to take on the righteous wrath of God. Only Jesus (who is entirely man and fully God) could take on God’s righteous wrath, which we truly deserve.
Jesus was crucified and died, but on the third day, he rose again (resurrection), conquering sin and death and demonstrating that He is truly God.
Those He has called, who repent of their sins and believe in Him, are saved. Christians are born again (spiritually) and desire to live a life of obedience to God’s word and bear fruit for His kingdom.
Being a follower of Christ does not guarantee that life will be easy or that sickness and disease will not occur. On the contrary: poverty, persecution, and even death can result from a life dedicated to Christ. We should take care of our physical bodies as best as possible. But no matter what we do, our bodies are failing because we live in a sinful world, but our souls will live for eternity in one of two places: heaven or hell.
The time to decide for Christ is now; tomorrow is not promised.
If you have questions or would like to learn more please feel free to reach out at:
stasha-gaeroberts@compassionprimarycare.sprucecare.com
