Those who grew up in a Christian household are sometimes raised by parents who meant well but used the Bible to threaten kids to behave “good.”
“Liars go to hell,” may sound similar to what our parents would say. If not parents, bible teachers, or a grandmother.
The thing that’s wrong with that type of teaching is that we end up believing God only wants us when we’re good. It gives us a distorted definition of what it means to be a Christian.
Being a Christian doesn’t mean we’re always good, nor does it mean we’re perfect.
All of us fall short of being perfect.
“As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;”
Romans 3:10
Also, Ecclesiastes 7:20 says: “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.”
When we understand that God knows about our shortcomings, then we can stop trying to impress him. God sees beyond our masks. This is where the gospel comes into our lives.
Once we come to the point of being tired of living a sinful lifestyle, always trying, but never being able to live differently, we can finally surrender to Jesus Christ.
This means we are not trying to be “good” on our own, but through the power of the gospel, we are able to live righteously. In fact, it has nothing to do with our own strength. It’s through Jesus alone we can flee from old desires.
Being righteous will not derive from religion, instead, the desire to do “good” will come from our love for God that has developed through the daily relationship we have with him.
The following explains why God does not grant salvation according to how “good” we perform.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
This change in our lifestyle may be hard at first, but God will mold us day by day until we mature and are able to withstand all the darts the enemy throws at us.
Does this mean we are free to sin whenever we want?
Not necessarily. It’s on our own account if we do, but everything God does is intentional and for a purpose, so he calls us to live with intention. When we choose our own path, we may not experience all the promises God has for those who walk by faith.
Hebrews 10:26 says, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.”
God calls us to be perfect
God does call us to strive for perfection. This verse encourages us to strive toward perfection. Keep in mind, it doesn’t label us “perfect.”
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:48
Jesus teaches us that righteousness is a condition of the heart. It’s not about performing good acts, so everyone can see. Even Pharisees can do that! (Pharisees were people who carefully followed the law of religion.)
After all, one doesn’t have to be a Christian to do good. Anyone can be called good, but God sees beyond our actions. Being a Christian means striving to be like Jesus, and Jesus is held to high standards, not because he is unreachable, but because he is the pure definition of perfection.
This is why, in our human nature, we are unable to reach salvation on our own account, but through Jesus Christ, we are saved from being condemned for not being “good enough.”
Here are examples of how God calls us to check our hearts. (Matthew 5:21-28) Many times this involves going beyond what the regular law tells us to do.
- A person charged with murder receives earthly punishment, but God will see beyond that. Whoever is angry or calls his brother “You fool!” will be judged by God.
- Also, when we give offerings, we must not give just to give, we must go with a pure heart. First, we must reconcile with our brother.
- While cheating and committing adultery are wrong, God calls us to go beyond that. We must not look at someone lustfully. If we do, we’ve already committed adultery in our hearts.
Those examples are what God means when he calls us to be “perfect.” It means going the extra mile. Not to be seen, but to work with our shortcomings.
Matthew 5: 46-48 says, “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Does this mean I will never sin again?
Again, let’s remember we all fall short. That’s why we must know being a Christian is a long-life journey and lifestyle.
We may not commit the same sins we were once bound to, but possibly commit other sins in our thoughts, or in other areas. When that happens, we must have a strategy to not let them take root in us.
For as long as we live in our earthly bodies, we will continue to face temptations. The key is fleeing from sin, and knowing that it’s through Jesus Christ that we can live righteously.
Prayer for acceptance
Dear God,
I can’t be “good” on my own. Today, I surrender to you my old ways of thinking. Take authority over those thoughts that tell lies about who you are and why you love me. Help me to stop trying to take control of my own destiny. This weight of condemnation and trying to be perfect, I lay it before you. Carry my yoke and allow me to know that it’s only through you that I am saved. I ask you to break the cycle of sin in my life, help me to receive your truth and strive to be like Jesus. Work in those areas in my heart that I need refinement. Help me to go the extra mile because that’s what you’ve done for me. When I sin again, allow me to come to repentance. In the name of Jesus, Amen.