IS BEING GOOD... GOOD ENOUGH

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Summary: Too often we want to base our salvation on works when we should never lose sight of God’s grace.

INTRODUCTION: SLIDE 03

As a parent, what do you want out of your children? You want them “to be good.”

Concerning behavior, being good is something that most of us understand. Surely, even as adults in our community, we want other adults to “be good.” But when it comes to God, being good is not good enough.

If we take this another step into “being good” concerning performance, we want to be good at many things.

Always someone will excel at “being good” in some area of performance.

Each year, there are the “golden glove” awards to great baseball players.

In college football, there is the Heisman trophy.

In NASCAR, there is the Winston Cup.

In professional football, we have the Superbowl and then there is a “most valuable player” chosen.

In the Olympics, we have the different medals. Men and women train their entire lives to receive these awards. Surely, we can say they are good.

But when it comes to God, being good is not good enough.

Whether being good refers to behavior, performance, special value, or any other characteristic, when it comes to God, being good is not good enough.

God is not influenced by a person’s ability or position in this world. SLIDE 04

DOING GOOD

Feeding and clothing the poor is certainly something we should do, and so it is good.

Giving our time and our talent to others such as tutoring struggling students, or being a big brother or big sister to children who need role models is something that we should do, and so it is good.

Paul Was Doing Good SLIDE 05

Philippians 3:4 -6 SLIDE 06

Philippians 3:4–6 NIV

4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put 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; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

If religious works and heritage could qualify one to be spiritual, then Paul would be way up there.

He begins with his pure heritage as a Jew.

Then he uses three statements to show without a doubt his pure Jewish blood:

Pure stock of “the nation of Israel.” This was the badge of honor to a true Israelite. This was the name of the covenant people of God.

Precious stock “the tribe of Benjamin.” Benjamin was the son of Abraham and Rachel. He was the only child born to Jacob in the Promised Land. Benjamin was the smallest tribe but was very precious. The Temple stood in the land that Benjamin and Judah inhabited.

Proud stock: “a Hebrew of Hebrews.” It meant that both of his parents were Hebrew. It also meant that he was brought up in the strictest of Jewish tradition.

God wants you to be good, but being good is not good enough.

WORKING YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN SLIDE 07

Good Works

Luke 18:9-14 SLIDE 08

Luke 18:9–14 NIV

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Self-inflicted Suffering or Martyrdom

Cutting or beating yourself

Being nailed to a cross

Romans 4:4 SLIDE 09

Romans 4:4 NIV

4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.

If it is a debt, you must work to pay it off.

If you are working to pay off your sin debt, it will not be possible to pay it off in this life-time.

BOASTING SLIDE 10

We have a tendency to boast.

Have you ever had a conversation with someone about something you have recently done or somewhere you have been or even a sickness.

And then, the individual(s) you are talking to try to “out do” your experience.

If you caught a fish 14 inches long, they caught one, or two, 18 inches long.

Could you imagine what the boasting would be like in Heaven?

Boasting Is Of The Flesh SLIDE 11

I Corinthians 1:27-29 SLIDE 12

1 Corinthians 1:27–29 NIV

27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.

We may rejoice in God.

We have no strength, and no righteousness of which to boast; but we may rejoice in Him.

He is full of goodness and mercy. He is able to save us.

He can redeem us out of the hand of all our enemies.

And when we are conscious that we are poor, and feeble, and helpless; when oppressed with a sense of sin, we may rejoice in Him as OUR God; and exult in Him as OUR Saviour and Redeemer.

True piety will delight to come and lay everything at His feet; and whatever may be our rank, or talent, or learning, we shall rejoice to come with the temper of the humblest child of poverty, and sorrow, and lack, and to say, “not unto us, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake (Ps. 115:1),” Barnes’ Notes

THIS IS THE ONLY GOSPEL SLIDE 13

Galatians 1:6-7 SLIDE 14

Galatians 1:6–7 NIV

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

What is it that causes a lot of liberals to be upset with Christianity?

It is exclusionary. It goes against that saying that “all roads lead to Heaven.”

Acts 4:12 SLIDE 15

Acts 4:12 NIV

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

God wants you to be good, but be good gospel is not good enough. SLIDE 16

GRACE

Its not by mere favor. It is not by your own merit; it is not because you have any claim. Barnes’ Notes

Humbles Man

And what is yet more difficult in coming to Christ, the soul forsakes not only its sinful self, but its righteous self; not only its worst sins, but its best performances, accomplishments, and excellences. John Flavel

It is an evidence of piety when we are thus disposed to exalt God, and to be humble.

It shows that the heart is changed; and that we are truly disposed to honor him.

Not ascribing his salvation to human abilities, or learning, or rank, but entirely to God. Barnes’ Notes

Magnifies Christ

II Timothy 1:9 SLIDE 17

2 Timothy 1:9 NIV

9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

Titus 3:7 SLIDE 18

Titus 3:7 NIV

7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

When a sinner comes to God, with a broken and contrite heart, believing and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation, God freely pardons him;

and he knows and feels that he is pardoned, because his darkness and distress are all taken away;

and the Spirit of God bears witness with his spirit that he is a child of God:

this God has promised; and, therefore, it is the privilege of every Christian to know that his sins are forgiven him for Christ’s sake: and of this fact there are thousands of living witnesses in the Christian church.

Let it ever be remembered that genuine faith in Christ will ever be productive of good works;

for this faith worketh by love, as the apostle says, and love to God always produces obedience to his holy laws.

“God is perfect so cannot accept less than perfect into His presence. Only the works of Christ’s can appear before Him.” Derickson’s Notes

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