4-25-23 It’s All About Being a Good Person: Or Is It?

It’s All About Being a Good Person: Or Is It? :: By Candy Austin Published on: August 20, 2022 by Admin10 Category:General Articles In light of some recent celebrity deaths, the subject of one’s personhood during their lifetime tends to come into focus. I admit that I often try to look up and find out what their religion, faith, and/or beliefs were in trying to assess the one of two places they may be spending their eternity. Matthew 7:17-21 “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Nine times out of ten, it becomes obvious that they lived a life without our Lord Jesus Christ in it. Basically, they were either their ‘own god’ or they believed in a false one. Perusing social media accounts can speak volumes. Last week, I was able to ascertain that one of these celebrities was into ‘Gaia Goddess/Mother Earth Worship,’ seemingly a form of white witchcraft. It is so sad to know that most people choose to ignore or reject Christ, refusing to see their ‘true depraved condition’ and thereby miss out on their only chance for salvation! John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” A couple of months ago, I had a conversation with a lost person, and the topic of spirituality and beliefs came up. My stance was that my faith is in God’s Word, for without it, we have nothing, and how my husband and I make a point to read it every night. This person stated they ‘had their own faith’ and kept repeating that ‘it is all about being a good person.’ Unfortunately, it is common in this day and age to see many subscribe to New Age beliefs such as ‘Karma.’ A following or belief that by doing good deeds and actions, one can manipulate some sense of control in the outcome of their destiny and future. (Street Evangelist, Author, and Brother in Christ) Ray Comfort has a profound YouTube Ministry Channel, which outlines countless of his interviews with people from all walks of life. Just about every time, the participants respond by saying ‘yes’ in thinking that they are a ‘good person’ when asked. Most of us, if we are honest, believe that too. That deep down, we are a ‘good person’ according to our self-righteous standards, all the while carelessly forgetting God’s Holy and Righteous ones! The Most Self-Righteous Person You’ll Ever Meet On that note, let us dive into the statement, ‘It is all about being a good person,’ shall we? According to the Bible, none are good, no not one, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Furthermore, it also states that all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Think about that for a moment; as good as we may think we are, as kind as we may try to be, and as many good things that we may try to do for others and for God, it all inevitably amounts to something such as ‘filthy, dirty, disgusting rags’! Romans 3:10-12 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” As Christians, we will be persecuted for righteousness’s sake, and sometimes people say that no matter how much we may read the Bible, it still does not make us a ‘good person.’ Guess what? They are right! We are not good people in and of ourselves; the only ‘good’ that is ever in us is the Lord Jesus Christ! He is our righteousness, and in Him we live, move, and have our being. Apart from Jesus, we can do no good thing! It is He who gives us the strength and the will to carry out the tasks that He has for us to do while here on this earth. Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” We all know someone who may be precious to us but who also does not believe in Jesus or in the things of God, and it is disheartening, to say the least. The hard fact is that the only person we can truly control is ourselves and in what we choose to believe. We can pray for loved ones, friends, acquaintances, and even celebrities to come to a ‘true saving knowledge’ of Jesus Christ, and we should, often; but ultimately, it is between that person and God whether they will. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Bottom line: it has always been and will always be the Lord Jesus Christ and His Righteousness that purifies, perfects, and makes us worthy! Nothing we do can ever compare. May we never forget this simple yet profound Truth! Romans 3:22 “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.” Sincerely and in Christ, Candy Austin