I am reminded everyday, actually several times a day, that I’m a sinner. Without Christ, I have no chance of ever being accepted by God nor be received into heaven… It is not false humility in attempting to earn your sympathy. I’m telling the truth. My heart knows that I’m a sinner deserving death and hell.

But when I was younger, I did not always think that. After having been a Christian a while, I thought I was almost perfect! If I could just fix a couple more things, I’d be morally perfect! Why not? I didn’t drink, smoke, sleep around, cheat, lie, cuss, nor gambled. I went to church every Sunday, sang in the choir, gave tithes, read the Bible every morning, tried to witness to my friends, and I didn’t even listen to “secular” music! Can you see why I thought I was almost perfect?

All of those things the pharisees did also, and Jesus called them the sons of devil! Why? Because they weren’t done from the heart of faith and love, but rather from the heart of trying to prove to the self and to others how much better they are.

How do I know my heart wasn’t always in the right place all the while doing the right things? I secretly judged those who weren’t as “good” as me. I thought God would be more pleased with me because I did all the right things. And I looked at how much I “sacrificed” in comparison to others – like abstaining from sex and alcohol – and thought I was spiritually superior.

Now, does God want us to stay sexually pure? Of course! Does He want us to not get drunk and be sober? Of course! But it is FOR WHO and WHY we do it for that is the issue. If we are doing good to earn God’s favor, then it’s ignoring how great our sin is and thus the work of Christ on the cross. (If we can earn God’s favor by doing good, why did Jesus die on the cross for us?) But if we are doing good because our heart is rejoicing over HIs goodness toward us despite our sin and selfishness, then it is pleasing to God.

“For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ jesus.” Romans 3:23-24.

Be good and do good. But do so for the right reason – not for your glory but for God’s glory.

PH