You Can BE Good, but not like you think

I ask the children and teens in our church, “How are you?”  They answer, as we all do, “Good!”  “But,” I ask, “are you righteous?” Yes, it’s a preacher kind of joke and often they don’t get it.  But, my teasing has a purpose. Over time, I hope they will think about the difference between the two.  Do you know what it is?

A 12 year old asked me, “do think I’ll go to Heaven?” He knew that his behavior did not come close to even acceptable, and like most people, assumed that God’s heaven was gained the same way that he got his teacher’s approval – being good.  We all are prone to think that being ‘good’ is the same as being ‘righteous.’  Truthfully, the Bible says that ‘there is none that is righteous, not even one.’  Even good people cannot achieve it apart from a Divine intervention. Righteousness, which is defined as enjoying God’s acceptance, is a gift of the grace of Christ Jesus. It cannot be earned, only received.

Good people are not necessarily righteous, but righteous people will be good!  Are you struggling to find peace with God, to lose the sense of shame or guilt that keeps you from confident prayer? There is a gift waiting for you.  The grim fact is that we "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  Regardless of our good intentions, we fall into pride, rage, greed, self-absorption; or some other sin because our human nature is fatally flawed.  Our hope can never be anchored to being good enough.  The Lord says we are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:23-24, NIV)  "Justified" is not a word we use often.  It means that we are made right (yes, righteous!) before God when we let Jesus wrap us in His forgiveness and wholeness.  If that sounds like so much theological mumbling, consider the promise attached:  “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2, NIV)

Trusting Christ to set us right with our Heavenly Abba takes away the angst of guilt and allows us to become true children, beloved, full of faith and hope!  "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”" (Romans 8:15, NIV)   The Holy Spirit begins to renovate our mind and we change from the inside out.  Hate loses its grip and love burgeons.  Fear of the future is overtaken with hope for tomorrow.  The loneliness we feel as spiritual orphans is erased and we become part of the family of God.  And, we become good, not because we try so hard at it, but because sin has lost its hold over us.

Are you alienated from God?  Has religion left you feeling only more like a failure?   Here’s a word from the Word:  "’Even now,‘ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.‘ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity." (Joel 2:12-13, NIV)  "Then you will know that I am here among my people of Israel and that I alone am the Lord your God. My people will never again be disgraced like this. “Then after I have poured out my rains again, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike." (Joel 2:27-29, NLT)

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Jesus Messiah

He became sin, who knew no sin

That we might become His righteousness.

He humbled Himself and carried the cross,

Love so amazing, love so amazing!

Jesus Messiah! Name above all names!

Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel.

The Rescue for sinners,

The Ransom from heaven,

Jesus Messiah, Lord of all!

His body, the bread, His blood, the wine;

Broken and poured out, all for love.

The whole earth trembled and the veil was torn

Love so amazing, love so amazing,

All our hope is in You,

All our hope is in You,

All the glory to You, God.

The Light of the world

Jesus Messiah, Lord of all!

The Lord of all, The Lord of all.

Chris Tomlin | Daniel Carson | Ed Cash | Jesse Reeves

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