Articles
'Good' People
In many studies and attempts to study with individuals today, it is not uncommon for the individual we are trying to teach the gospel message will say early in the conversation something along the lines of, "Don't you think God will save good people?" [The implied meaning is that the one who says this is 'good' and, thus, will be saved without ever having obeyed God.]. Maybe you have said something similar?
Rather than answering this question directly [and putting your opinion above what God's word actually says], wouldn't it be best to see what God has actually said about who will be saved — and why? The fact is, even if the answer was 'yes' to that question, men would forever argue for their interpretation and definition of the word 'good,' and would still overlook the reality of the situation of all men: none of us is 'good.' Not one.
The apostle Paul reminded his brethren in Rome, “we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin” (Rom. 3:9), and then quoted the psalmist when he wrote, “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10-12). To further close the door on any idea of 'good'-ness, Paul would later write, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). If that is not enough, consider the words of the wise writer: “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Eccl. 7:20, ESV).
Do you still insist you are a 'good' person? I would plead with anyone who still thinks so to please stop and consider the truth of the matter because you are fooling only yourself; you will not fool God — your Judge — when you stand before Him in the end, and all the pleading in the world will not change the fact of the matter. The fact is, none of us is good, or righteous.
If we go back to what Paul wrote to those in Rome, we find that just prior to him condemning all for sin (Rom. 3:23), he had said, “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference” (Rom. 3:21, 22). The truth is, God revealed a means of attaining true righteousness because none were righteous!
And as Paul noted, that righteousness comes “through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe,” and lacking that faith [an obedient faith], we will never be called 'righteous' or 'good' by God. Though the religious leaders of the first century erroneously thought they were righteous, Jesus told His audience in the Sermon on the Mount, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20). Paul was concerned for his Jewish brethren who, “ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom. 10:3, 4). They had rejected Christ, so they had denied themselves the possibility of ever attaining to the kind of righteousness acceptable to God, and receiving the salvation it brings.
It is important we understand that self-derived or self-defined 'righteousness' is not sufficient or acceptable to God, and it must be noted that the one who argues for personal 'good'-ness or personal 'righteousness' is the epitome of one who is 'self-righteous'! What else would you call someone who claims they are 'good' or 'righteous' outside of faith in Christ?
With the space remaining, I would like to urge you, the reader, to seek the right kind of righteousness — the kind that comes through faith in Christ — with all your ability, for it is of utmost importance to the one who desires salvation and the reward of eternal life in heaven. Paul once asked, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?” (1 Cor. 6:9); it's a question we should consider! Do we really know that — and believe it? If so, we should make this righteousness our priority!
With that in mind, consider a few passages in Scripture that emphasize the urgency in obtaining this righteousness:
Seek It First. Jesus once said, in the context of teaching the people to not be overly concerned with material things, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). Note that Jesus said we must seek it, and we must seek it first. To seek something means we are actively trying to find it. To seek means "to go in search or quest of," or "to try to find or discover by searching or questioning," or "to try to obtain." In each definition, there is action involved: going, searching, and trying. This means we cannot wait for this righteousness to fall in our laps, but must actively be trying to find it and obtain it.
The second part of what Jesus said is that we must seek the righteousness of God first; that is, it must be our priority. When we understand we are considered unrighteous otherwise, and that in that state we cannot be pleasing to God, we then see the need for us to make the search our priority — nothing standing in the way and nothing comes before our search. It is the most important thing in our lives because our eternal destination depends on it!
Pursue It. Paul admonished the young evangelist Timothy to flee the desire for material gain and, instead, “pursue righteousness” (1 Tim. 6:11); he would later admonish him to “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness” (2 Tim. 2:22). Do you get the idea Paul really wanted Timothy to pursue righteousness, rather than the worldly things? And let us note that to pursue something means we "strive to gain" and we chase after it; this isn't a lethargic gait, but an all-out effort!
We would do well to heed these admonitions, too. While the world and its leader are constantly telling us life is all about material gain and the fleshly desires, remember what happened the first time the Devil told someone disobedience would make things better. This sin-filled world is proof enough not to believe him again!.
Hunger And Thirst For It. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6). To hunger or to thirst means one has "a strong desire" for it; this is not one who is content with merely getting a taste or just a little dampness on the lips! In those words, we must see an implied distinction between one who is seeking it casually and indifferently, and the one who desires it more than anything else in life. Let us note that Jesus said it is those who “hunger and thirst” for righteousness who will be filled, rather than the one who is content to merely nibble at righteousness or sip from its source. God wants people who really want this righteousness!
Do you desire this righteousness from God? I hope you do, for without it, you cannot be a part of His kingdom, and heaven will not be your hope. So seek it, pursue it, and hunger and thirst for it! —— Steven Harper
