Do you think you’re perfect? I’m sure you don’t. After all, nobody’s perfect. There is, however, another even more important question: Are you good? That question is key because only good people go to heaven.
There are different ways to look at the idea of “good.”
Think about the carjackers in North Philly who recently ran into three children and their mother while they were selling fruit to raise money for their church. The mother was critically injured, and her three children, age 15, 10, and 7 were killed. How horrible! Compared to those carjackers, I think I’m pretty good, and I expect you do, too. In fact, we can compare ourselves to a long list of people and declare ourselves “good.” Some examples would be Adolf Hitler, Saddam Husain, Jeffrey Dahmer, Al Capone, or the Unabomber.
As we interact with our neighbors, co-workers, and relatives, we tend to think of them as either mostly bad or mostly good. It sure is hard to think good thoughts about the neighbors who keep us up at night with their loud music!
The Bible, on the other hand, has a totally different idea of who is good. It begins by explaining that God is good. “For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100:5). “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting” (1 Chronicles 16:34). (Also see 2 Chronicles 5:13; 7:3; Ezra 3:11; Psalm 25:8; 86:5; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; Jeremiah 33:11 or Nahum 1:7)
The Scripture goes on to explain that ultimately God is the only One who is good. “…There is no one who does good. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:1,3). “…There is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 53:3). Jesus made this clear when He said, “No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18).
If God looks at us and says, “There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one” (Romans 3:11–12), we are in terrible trouble. If God requires perfect goodness, like He is good, then how can any one of us get to heaven?
Many teach that if we just do enough good works, God will see our sincerity and let us into heaven. The problem is that the Bible doesn’t allow that option. God says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). So, clearly no one will be able to boast that he or she got into heaven because of good works.
God has seen our terrible problem and designed a wonderful solution. Jesus came to earth to solve the disaster created by our lack of goodness. “But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, … even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:21–24).
When we put our faith in Christ, He pays our sin penalty for us, and then covers us with His perfect righteousness. “I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness….” (Isaiah 61:10).
We would have to be perfectly good in order to go to heaven because God is pure holiness, but Jesus has offered to give us His goodness. I hope you have, or will, trust Jesus to save you from your sin and that you will give your life to Him because “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Praise the Lord!
Leave A Comment