Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.                       Hebrews 4:1

Perhaps it’s the belief system that causes more people to come short of the promises of God than any other. It’s what we will call the “I’m a good person” philosophy and it’s the second of the three degrees of separation. Going back to our concentric circle diagram, we need to come into the outer circle and write the words “I’m a good person.” Not as far away as the agnostic group but still coming short of being firmly rooted in Christ. Using our football analogy, this is the running back that gains a yard before being tackled. He’s not dropped behind the line of scrimmage but still comes up short of the goal line. 

So what does this belief system purport? It varies from person to person but it is the general idea that a loving God would never send someone to hell and that, regardless of how we have lived our lives, God will somehow make a way for everyone to get to Him in the end. It goes something like this: “Well, I’m not perfect but neither is anyone else.” “I know I’ve made mistakes but doesn’t everybody.” In this philosophy, we must compare ourselves to other people in the world, usually finding someone who has appeared to have lived a more wretched life than we (fascist dictators, terrorists, liars, cheaters, and so forth.) People adhering to this philosophy are usually very responsible, obey the laws of the land (perhaps only pushing the speed limit from time to time), they pay their bills on time, and love their families. Their standard of measure for themselves comes from themselves and they often make up a god in their own minds that fits their world view. These people are not agnostic and may even be religious but their perspective is not rooted in the truth. If unchecked, these “good people” will find themselves coming short of salvation and the promises of God. 

Before any of us can come to saving faith in Jesus Christ, we have to come to the end of ourselves and realize who we are, in the eyes of God, apart from Christ. The reality of our spiritual state apart from Jesus can be found all over scripture. Perhaps this is the reason why many living out this belief system will avoid the Bible. Consider these words:

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,” they are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; there is no one who does good.God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God.Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

  Psalm 53:1-3

The truth is, we can only consider ourselves good by comparing ourselves to other flawed human beings. When assessing our life up against the standard of God, we will fail every time. If fact, the only way we can make it to God on our own merit is to perfectly keep the entire law of God, something none of us can do or have done. Listen to these words:

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 

      James 2:10

That’s right! We can live a life in which we have kept all of God’s law yet if we stumble just one time, making one mistake, we are guilty of breaking the entire law. It’s all or nothing with God. That’s why our redemption required someone to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. The cross of Jesus is that moment in time in which God opened heaven to all, Jew and Gentile alike, who would surrender their lives to Him. Being in Christ means that our old life, with its inability to become righteous, is now gone and our new lives in Christ now position us as righteous in the eyes of God. Consider this:

Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered.Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”

  Romans 4:4-8

This is great news! Although we cannot keep the law of God on our own because of our depravity, God has made a way for us, as sinful humanity, to become His children and it is through faith in Jesus Christ alone apart from any works. But in order to receive this gift of salvation, we must first abandon the idea that we are “good people” apart from Jesus. We simply are not!

The depravity of mankind affects us all and there is no escaping that reality. Here is an excellent explanation of the reality that we are all sinful and deserving of God’s wrath:

So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men (mankind), even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men (mankind). 

                Romans 5:18

It is actually not the sin that we commit that creates our issue. Our personal sin is simply a byproduct of the greater problem: our depravity. It was the sin of Adam that brought condemnation on all of mankind. We are born into this world with a propensity to sin, to rebel against God, and to live life on our own terms. Only when we enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, in which we are reborn into spiritual life, can our spiritual problem be permanently solved. But the good news is God does offer redemption, forgiveness, salvation of our souls, and abundant/eternal life for all who will call on His name (Romans 10:13). But we first have to come to the realization that, apart from Jesus, we are not acceptable in the eyes of a Holy God and that we will not be ushered into the kingdom on the basis of our own goodness. “I’m a good person” is not a saving philosophy and we would do well to remember how God sees us apart from Christ!

Have you come to the realization that, in the eyes of God, apart from Christ, you are not a good person rather you are a sinner fully deserving His wrath? Abandoning the “I’m a good person” philosophy opens the door for you to come to Christ. Call on Him today, He will meet you right where you are!