Can we be Good without God?

Intro:

Wreck it ralph bad guy scene...

“"I'm bad and that's good.  I will never be good and that's not bad.  There's no one I'd rather be than me.”

this may just seem like a stupid line from a movie, but it is the worlds thinking...

“We’re just that way..”

“they’re going through a phase”

That’s how that age is supposed to act....

This scene may be stupid, but it helps us to think of some other questions...

What is the difference between good or evil?

Can i choose to be good instead of evil?

Is there such a thing as good and evil? If so, who decides what is good and what is evil?

For the villains in wreck it ralph, it was good to be evil...

Is man basically good?

A lot of people would say yes...

Philippians 3:2–11 ESV

2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

A Difference in Origins

The world and Bible have different views of what is “good”....

1. Goodness comes from God (Fruit of the spirit)

World says if you don’t do this list of bad things you aren’t bad...

Murder, theft, abusing people...

The world says man is naturally good…what makes them think that?

Is it just a coping mechanism to make themselves feel good?

Is it

if God defines what is good morality must come from God.

2. Morality comes from God.

If we did not have a holy God, how would we know what is right or wrong?

Some cultures say it is ok to eat people…is that ok?

some people would say it is ok to kill babies before they are born....is that ok?

SOme people would say it is ok to steal as long as you need it....is that ok?

What about some “lower stakes” sins

Is it ok to lie to get out of trouble?

Is it ok to gossip as long as the person doesn’t find out about it?

Where do we get our standard for right or wrong if it doesn’t come from God?

If we get it from each other, it leads to relative truth...

What is right for you is right for yuo, what is right for me is right for me...

A difference in outcomes

1.Worldly good leads to destruction

Our best job at being good is never enough “none righteous, no not one...”

“Best works are as filthy rags...”

So in our passage above, we see no one is good enough to receive eternal life

Paul was brilliant, overly qualified for any position, doing what everyone at that time was right (zealous to kill christians), blameless under the law (v.6),

None of these works were good enough for Paul to receive eternal life. It always came up short.

Trying to be good without God is evil in itself…it is idolatry and pride. (Think of the pharisees)

2. Goodness from God leads to life (imputation) Christ is your righteousness

If we stop relying on ourselves for goodness and start depending on God, that will lead to life

None of us are righteous, only Jesus is righteous.

Jesus’ good works and perfect life has been credited to our account

Righteousness illustration

James 2:10 ESV

10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Philippians 3:9 ESV

9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—