Good Isn’t Good Enough

Years ago, I was a guest on a morning television show. The host and I were having a nice chat when, near the end of the program, he dropped a bombshell. He said, “Greg, I have a question for you. You believe that most of the world is non-Christian and that because of that, they are going to burn in Hell for all eternity. What kind of loving God would ever create such a scenario? Is that like a petty boss that some people have created, not understanding God?”

I had about two minutes to respond to that question. But after the show ended and the cameras stopped rolling, our conversation continued. He went on to ask me about good people and how a God of love could allow them to face judgment.

I pointed out that we must define what “good” is. As humans, we have a sliding scale of good. Everyone seems to believe that they are good. They are always the moral center of their universe. They immediately give themselves a free pass and believe that other people aren’t as good as they are. The problem is that we have conflicting views regarding what is good.

So, how do we determine what good is? We all have the answer, and it’s found in the Bible. God says, “No one is righteous—not even one” (Romans 3:10 NLT). This doesn’t mean there aren’t good people in a broad sense; it means no one is good enough to get to Heaven on their own merit.

In the end, it’s not our standards of goodness that matter; it’s God’s. And, as the apostle Paul makes clear a few verses later in Romans 3, God’s threshold for goodness is much higher than ours. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (verse 23 NLT).

Our efforts to be “good enough” on our own don’t impress God. Isaiah 64:6 says, “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags” (NLT). Our good deeds can’t help us escape the judgment we deserve for our sin. Only God’s forgiveness can do that.

From an eternal perspective, being good isn’t about being the nicest person or the kindest person. It’s about being a forgiven person. That’s who will be in Heaven: forgiven people.

If you’ve always put your faith in your own goodness, now is the time to reevaluate. Consider the warnings of Scripture carefully. Admit that your best isn’t good enough. Confess your sins to God and ask for His forgiveness. Trust in the righteousness of Christ for your salvation.

If you’ve already done that, embark on your own personal mission to take the gospel message to the people around you. Help them understand why good isn’t good enough.

Reflection question: How would you respond to someone who believes that they’ll go to Heaven when they die because they’re a good person? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

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