I'm A Good Person Myth Series

DON’T GO THERE.

It’s like burning you finger on a candle and sticking it into a hot stove to make it feel better. The Bible just INCREASES the sense that we have that we can never be good enough on our own.

3. IT’S OPPOSED TO GRACE

So some of you are saying, already Einstein, if the good people don’t go to heaven who does? Well, you want something more than my speculation on this topic. The teaching of Jesus (who is the only man who was dead for 3 days and came back to tell us about heaven) is this:

“But now,” the Bible says, “a righteousness (that is, a perfect level of goodness) is available apart from the law (that is, apart from my moral or religious efforts to be good enough). This goodness, this moral perfection from God comes through trusting Jesus Christ and is available to ANYONE who believes.” (Romans 3:21-22)

So, let me say it clearly: according to Jesus, it’s not the GOOD people who go to heaven, it’s the FORGIVEN people. So, if we can assume that forgiven people are people who have a lot of bad to be forgiven in their lives, then we might say, it’s only the BAD people who go to heaven! That is, those willing to admit their badness, confess, repent and trust God for mercy. It’s a gift of grace to the people who ask for it.

I had a skeptic friend talk to me a while back about how unfair the Christian system was. It was the famous TED BUNDY OBJECTION. So any fool can repent on their deathbed and ask Jesus into their heart and that’s it? How unfair.

Jesus actually gave a Ted Bundy parable, did you know that? Matt 20:1-16. A farmer goes out one day to hire people for a good and generous wage. Same day he hires anther set of people at noon for the same wage. Then, at like 4:30, half an hour before Miller time he hires more people, for the SAME wage! The people are indignant. It’s unfair! Is it unfair, the Farmer asks, or are you jealous because i’m so generous??

That’s what my friend said, "Unfair." It’s a joke, he said.

- I said, well, what’s more unfair?

o A system where God says, I want you all to be good enough. Race for heaven! But no one will know the rules, no one knows the finish line, the path won’t be marked out.... a system where if you’re set up with a bad set of parents, or born in the wrong country, Nazi Germany, you’re automatically disqualified, or if you’re born in a good situation with good parents you’re automatically in?

o OR,

§ a system where everyone is invited,

§ a system where it’s totally equal because everyone gets in the same way – through grace and not earning, and

§ a system where anyone no matter their badness or past or upbringing can meet the standard,

What’s more FAIR? What’s more fair!? Through Christ, God has made relationship with him as EASY as possible.

On the day Jesus was crucified, the Bible says that the criminal next to Jesus called out to him and said Lk 23:41-43 "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." And what does Jesus say? Does he say, well, have you been good enough? Did you have a good heart underneath all that murder and lying and stealing? No… he says: