I’ve Heard It Said, “God Will Accept Me Because I Know I’m a Good Person”
This article is part of the I’ve Heard It Said series.
Are Humans Basically Good?
I’ve heard it said, “God will accept me because I know I’m a good person.” Our culture loves to celebrate that humans are basically good, not sinful. If a human does something that’s harmful, then it must be because of a complex of sociological factors that negatively affected that person. Our culture just despises the idea of sin, of breaking moral rules from God, and if there is a God, you can earn his approval by living well.
Here’s an example. Michael Bloomberg is one of the richest people in the world. He was mayor of New York City for three terms, from 2002 to 2013. Four months after he finished his terms as governor, The New York Times published a story about him. The story says that if Bloomberg senses that he may not have as much time left as he would like, he has little doubt about what would await him at a judgment day. Bloomberg thinks he has earned God’s favor on the basis of his work on gun safety, obesity, and smoking cessation.
Romans
Andrew David Naselli
Scholar and author Andrew David Naselli traces Paul’s argument for the gospel throughout this concise guide to the book of Romans, providing accessible commentary and unpacking the text verse by verse.
And he said, with a grin, “I’m telling you, if there is a God, when I get to heaven, I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I’m heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It’s not even close.” That’s a tragedy. How many people today think like that? How many people think they can earn God’s approval by how they live? The truth is that you’re not good. You are bad.
The Bible says, “None is righteous. No, not one. No one understands. No one seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together, they have become worthless. No one does good. Not even one.” That’s Romans 3:10–12. So if people aren’t bad, then the good news isn’t good. The good news is only as good as the bad news is bad. And the bad news is really bad. Namely, we deserve God’s wrath because we have rebelled against our Creator.
Andrew David Naselli is the author of Romans: A Concise Guide to the Greatest Letter Ever Written.
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