Trying To Be Good Enough

“Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ So Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.’” – Luke 18:18-19

I am sure you are familiar with these verses – the man known as the rich young ruler was, I think, trying to show respect to Jesus. But Jesus, knowing the young man’s heart knew there was more to it than that.  The young man thought that he was a good person because he did enough good things to deserve to have eternal life.  We want to be good and most likely have decided what good enough is. What is good enough as a Christian – as a born again Believer. So Jesus says – God the Father is the definition of good and the source of all good.  The good that any of us,  a product of our flesh is works an imitation of that goodness, but is not the “real deal”.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:8-10

Created for good works that find their source through faith in Jesus and fulfilling what God the Father has purposed for us.  So we don’t get to decide what is the good we should do, God does.  There is nothing that has eternal value the is derived from our flesh. The good that we do must be derived from a pure heart and clean hands, meaning we must be right before God. Surrendering our will to God is not an easy thing.  Our old nature resists that submission. We want to “hang on to” a few things from our old life and find some sort of justification to convince ourselves that it is “OK”. But it is not. 

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:8-9

Those thoughts are not something that we just decide we will do, but is a product of our pursuit of God by faith. The reason I write about these things is that I know that living rightly as a Christian is a challenge. Knowing what my life should be like and what my life is like are most often not the same. So I have a choice. I can say “what’s the use – this is too hard” – or I can say “Lord I continue to prove that there is nothing good in me – that You are the source of all good – I cannot live the life You have called me to through self-effort.  Lord I, once again, surrender my heart and my will to You.”

When people like me write something for people like you to read and consider, it is a mistake to think that I am any different than you, our struggle is the same.  The point here is that none of us should be satisfied with being “good enough”.  That our righteousness is found in Jesus – eternal life by faith – anything good is from the Father -  the power to life our new life is through the Spirit.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.’” – Proverbs 3:5-8

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone