I'm Not a Good Person

I am not a good person.

I share this with a lot of people.

These are some of the responses I get:
Oh, now don’t say that you aren’t a good person.

Why, look at all the things you’re doing for God.

I know you don’t think you’re good but we do.

Oh, you are really deep down a good guy.

So let me repeat: I am not a good person!

When Jesus is called good, listen to how He responded in Matthew 19:17, “Why ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good.”

The One Jesus is referring to is God. Jesus is saying that only God is good.

What does God say about our human goodness? What does He say about the human’s natural state of goodness and righteousness?

Isaiah 64:6

We are unfit to worship you; each of our deeds is merely a filthy rag.

Our natural human goodness is like a dirty rag.

Matthew 5:20

But I warn you - unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

We have to have a goodness or righteousness at the very center of who were are, not just doing “good things” when people are watching.

Romans 3:10-12

As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous - not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not one single one.”

I believe that God in His Word makes it very clear that the natural condition of people is NOT good.

So at the core of who were are, we are dirty rotten sinners.

How can a Holy God accept dirty rotten sinners?

How can a Perfectly Good God accept people who are not good?

He does it through grace.

Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:5

God extends grace.

God saves us by grace.

God relates to us by grace.

So a holy God can accepts dirty rotten sinners like us because:

#1: Because It is Not Based on Our Works

But now God’s way of putting people right with Himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it. Romans 3:21

Our human effort in keeping the law was never intended to be what made us righteousness. The law was given to show us what God wants and that in our own ability we can’t do it. The law was given to show us our sin and draw us to God.

#2: Because God Makes Righteousness Available to All

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:22-23

Since every one is a sinner we are all in the same situation. We all need righteousness, and to receive this righteousness we have to put our faith in Jesus. Jesus is not just for the bad guys: He is for all guys (cause we are all bad without Jesus).

#3: Because Jesus is the Source of Forgiveness and Healing

And all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood - to be received by faith. Romans 3:24-25a

God justified us (releases us from the penalty of sin) freely.

God redeemed us (bought us back).

God provided a sacrifice for us.

God did all that through the blood of Jesus.

Jesus’ blood justifies us.

Jesus’ blood redeems us.

Jesus’ blood is the sacrifice for our sins.

#4: Because the Cross is the Place of Our Salvation

He did this to demonstrate His righteousness in passing over sins that happened before, during the time of God’s patient tolerance. He also did this to demonstrate that He is righteousness in the present time, and to treat the one who has faith in Jesus as righteous,.

Romans 3:25b-26

God demonstrates His love.

God demonstrates His justice.

The cross shows both God’s love and justice, His love for us and His judgment of sin.

Through God’s grace we can have God’s righteousness.

We do this not by:

Inviting Jesus into our lives

Accepting Jesus as Lord

Making a commitment to God

But by:

Surrendering our lives completely to Jesus and submitting to His authority to direct and control our lives.

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is not about:

Being Good (we can’t without Jesus)

Being Nice (nice is overrated)

Being Religious (lot of religions)

Being Spiritual (many different spirits)

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about surrendering all that you are, all that you will ever be, all that you have and all that you will ever have to Jesus.

Revival will come to America when we stop making following Jesus about:

Rules

Rituals

Regulations.

And



Make following Jesus about relationships.

Relationship with Jesus as our Savior, Lord and Friend.

Relationship with each other as God’s Family.

I am not good.

Jesus is perfectly good.

I am made good by Jesus through grace by placing my faith in Him. Then Jesus can Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls of my life.

Through Grace and By Faith Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls

Joe