Saved by faith. Maintained through grace. That is the game. However, how many of us Christians determine if we are “good”, based on what we do or fail to do? I can’t tell you how many times a family member has told me I’m such a “good” Christian, because of how much I read my Bible, for how involved I am in church, how often I pray, and how little I cuss. Oh, if they only knew the truth! Yes, I read my Bible daily. Yes, I try to be involved in as much as I can be when it comes to church gatherings and events. I participate in my Bible studies. But prayer - if I am stressed, how little I actually pray. And as for colorful language? Well, stress also has its influence. The truth is, none of this matters if we are going to determine the goodness of a Christian. Frankly, our goodness never began with us. And therefore, it does not end with us. The perpetuation that what makes a Christian “good” is by how much they can do for God is ludicrous. It puts certain believers on a pedestal and for those who are on those pedestals, the pressure to never sin or make a mistake is surmountable. For if one thinks that a person is good by how much they can do for God, then what does that say if sin is present in their lives? Are they a liar? Or is the system actually a lie in of itself? Paul wrote, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh…just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ Therefore know that only those who are of the faith are sons of Abraham (Galatians 3:1-3, 6-7). The Galatians were Christians - who believed Jesus died for them - but, because of a circulating lie - came to believe that they had to do certain things to sustain their faith. I want to clarify - in no way am I suggesting that we, as grace-filled Christians, should make the assumption that we are able to do whatever the heck we want without consequence (see Romans 6:1-7; 1 Corinthians 10:23-33) or that it’s okay to approve of sinful behavior (see Galatians 5:16-26). What I have become increasingly intolerant of is the matter that many Christians have defined their status with God based on what they can do, rather than the actual work of Jesus. Yes, we need to be obedient to what God has said. Yes, we need to take the steps to develop a relationship with Him that encompasses a daily walk. Knowing God is more than just a once in a while or once a week. But our status as a “good Christian” is based on the work enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. After all, with Him, there would be no goodness in us found. As pointed out by the prophet Isaiah, any good act we try to do was as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) The truth is any works apart from Christ is dead. And any effort to earn God’s favor based on the amount of “Christian” or “church” things we can do are misleading. It takes our eyes off the actual Gospel. “I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted - you may well put up with it…I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed [condemned to destruction]! As we have said before, so now I say it again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” - Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 11:3-4; Galatians 1:6-10). Modern Christianity has bought into the lie that one must be productive and busy in order to be a “good Christian”. This would go into a longer discussion, but one can be doing the “right” stuff, and still be missing the mark, because it is work that wasn’t ordained by God. Busy does not equate fruitfulness. Attendance does not equate faithfulness. Vasts of knowledge does not equate knowing God intimately. We need to stop aiming to be “good” Christians, as if our goodness is dependent on us. The righteousness we have is ONLY because of what Jesus has done on the cross. Now, the health of our relationship with Jesus can be affected by how much we put into it. It is similar to how we build relationships with other people. On this note, be encouraged that a relationship doesn’t require body-building levels of community service. It doesn’t require memorizing the Bible and becoming a living Encyclopedia. It doesn’t mean one has to be available to the public 100% of the time, or hours of endless intercession. It doesn’t mean having to attend every event or volunteer for every ministry. Actually, when it comes to calling (an extension of this subject), it is important to know how God has fashioned and fitted you. In summation, if one wants to determine that they are a good Christian, it is only by understanding that it isn’t by how much one can do, but rather by the strength of the relationship we have with Jesus.
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