The Problem With "Being Good"

Have you ever struggled with trying to be good enough to please God? Have you ever wondered if you are going to "make it to heaven?" The reason "living a good life" will not get us into heaven is that "being good" does not change our nature. Being "fit for the kingdom" requires a change of nature, something we cannot do on our own. We need a "spiritual nature." There are certain principles that the liar, Satan, wants to keep from you. It is important that we know the truth.

First, we don't make it to heaven because our "good deeds" outweigh our "bad deeds." It is important to remember that we can never "earn" our way to heaven. The bible makes that very clear. (Ephesians 2:8-9) At first that may cause a person to say, "Well, why even try?" But when we think it through we can see the hope. It will open up a whole new world for us. We need a change of nature, and being good will no more change our carnal nature into spiritual nature than teaching a parrot to talk will change it into a human.

Second, knowing we could not be His without a new nature, God sent Jesus to provide the new nature for us. It was the only way. The price that had to be paid had to measure up. For "eternal life" there had to be an eternal payment. No man could offer anything eternal. But Jesus could, and did. When He finished, essentially God said, "I accept Your payment for man's sin. Now whosoever will may come. I will give them a new nature fit for heaven." He didn't start it for us to finish. He "finished" it. (John 19:30)

Third, we are eternally secure. Since Jesus won our salvation through His faithfulness to God, those who accept Him are "given" to Jesus as His crown and reward. God will never take us away from Jesus. No sin can cause us to lose our salvation. Sin will cause us to lose our fellowship and oneness with God here on earth, but not our salvation. That is a permanent result of Jesus' work. Eternal means eternal. If you could lose it, it wouldn't have been eternal to begin with. Many of those who "leave the faith" were never part of it to begin with. (I John 2:19)

What freedom that brings. We are free from the struggle FOR salvation. And we are free to let God work, through the circumstances of life to become like Him. Accepting these truths opens our understanding of God's Word and brings new LIFE to life, a life of joy. "Being good" is no longer a chore...it is no longer a problem. Through Jesus it becomes truly possible.

Ask God to make you what He wants you to be. Give Him permission and He will do more than you can imagine. (Ephesians 2:10, Jeremiah 33:3)

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T