Everything Changes

"Can't you at least acknowledge that people who are POLITE, HONEST, FORTHCOMING, HOSPITABLE, GENUINE, CONGENIAL, AMIABLE, and TRUSTWORTHY (and possibly, kind to old ladies, pets, and children) are 'good people' simply meaning that they are (a) not a threat, (b) personable, reasonable, (c) friendly, (d) neighborly???" David W. Irish

Great point. You are talking about "good" from a human point of view (the only point of view in which you believe). But, let’s face it; if you find a human being that is always polite, honest, hospitable, genuine, congenial, amiable and trustworthy, you haven’t found someone who is good, you have found someone who is 'remarkable.' Perhaps this is why there are so many divorces. Many a man is kind, amiable, trustworthy before the wedding day. The knight’s shining armor gets a little dull and rusty in time.

However, there is something else that comes into the equation when God is involved, and it’s a life and death issue. I have interviewed hundreds, if not thousands of people on television and on radio, and I have found by experience that the Bible is right when it says that every man will almost always speak of his own goodness (you probably did it when I spoke of finding people who are always polite, honest, hospitable, amiable, etc.). They are sure that they are morally good, until they understand that God’s standard of goodness (the one He will judge us with on Judgment Day), is infinitely higher than theirs.

Let’s take Joe Average. He is polite, hospitable, genuine, congenial, amiable and trustworthy. He is a remarkably good person--by human standards. However, when measured by God's standards he proves to be a liar, a thief, a blasphemer and an adultery at heart. He has violated God’s Law, and is therefore a "Law-breaker." These sins we take so lightly are extremely serious charges in the sight of a morally perfect God. I can’t express to you how serious lying and blasphemy and adultery are to God. Under His Law, they demand the death sentence.

So now everything changes for Joe Average the Law-breaker (criminal). Let’s say a man is found in court. The charges are extremely serious--rape and murder. He says, "Judge , I am guilty of raping and killing that woman, but I want you to know that I am polite, hospitable, genuine, congenial, amiable and trustworthy." Can you see that such a boast when he is guilty of heinous crimes is detestable.

If you are not trusting in Jesus Christ, you are just like that criminal. You, like me, have violated God’s Law a multitude of times, and your sins are very serious in God's sight. The fact that you may use your manners, or that you are amiable to people, isn’t irrelevant to your case. The truth is that boasting of your own so-called morality is detestable in God’s sight. Jesus said to those who did that, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God" (Luke 16:15).

The only thing you and I can do to be saved from being thrown into God's prison (Hell), is to trust in His mercy . . . and the Bible says that He is rich in mercy to all that call upon Him. Please call upon Him today.