Good vs God

For I know that in me (flesh), nothing good dwells, for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find is what Paul speaks to the church of Rome in Romans 7:18. In the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), when the rich young ruler addresses Jesus as Good Teacher while seeking the means to eternal life, Jesus responds, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is God. We can infer that Jesus to wants to ensure that the ruler knows that God is the ultimate standard for eternal living.

So then, how can we believe that our own goodness apart from God is sufficient to enter in through the gates of eternal life. It’s like an adult child temporarily coming back to their parent’s house unwilling to submit under the authority and standards of that household and yet believes they have every right to reside there. Much like the free will of an adult child, we have every right to live how we best see fit, but we cannot mistake the free will to choose with the free reign to live. Ultimately, that is why we end up believing our own goodness is enough for God to allow us in His house. We love God, but not everything He requires so we cherry-pick what fits into our life, cut back on the ones that don’t and go about living as though we are living according to God’s plan. True enough, there are motivations within us to want to do good and help others. But that is because we are God’s creation. He formed us and breathed His breath into ours so there is, instinctively, a draw towards goodness. Paul says the will is present but the how is missing.

For example, we have a woman who serves weekly in soup kitchens, volunteers in her church ministry, and even fosters neglected and abandoned children. But she believes forgiveness is given only up to a certain point. She sees no benefit in forgiving anyone who harms children, the elderly, or the disabled. Her outward deeds are beautiful and anyone looking at her would think she is everything a Woman of God is called to be. However, the Lord looks on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7). Whether or not she understands the sanctity of forgiveness or the severity of the lack thereof; she has decided to place and uphold her moral code above God’s. Her unforgiveness takes precedence over the nature of God because He is a forgiving God (Psalm 86:5) and calls for us to do the same as image bearers. This is what happens when we live life apart from God. We falsely believe because we recognize and do a little good that we are good. On the contrary, when we allow our own moral standard in, we bow to compromise. Compromise is the soil of sin. It gives it ground to take root. But God gave us salvation through repentance. We do good things but leave out the God things. That’s why it can never be and thankfully so be about the deeds we accomplish because we could never fulfill the holiness and righteousness of God without Him FIRST. He is the how.