Good: Is it all acceptable to God?
Many years ago, I followed the teachings of a pastor who spoke of human good and divine good. It was the first time I’d really given this much thought. He talked about these two completely different kinds of good that are discussed in the Bible. Both may appear as good outwardly but only one is acceptable to God. We all need to note what Christ said about this kind of good that He completely rejects.
Matthew 23:27-28
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. [Emphasis added]
Such good is only temporal. Most people think all “good” is the same. It is not! Human good by no means stands the test of time or of God. Furthermore, any form of “good” that is in violation of principles of truth from the Bible is condemned of God. This includes such things as socialism, national dis-armament in any form, one-world political movements, and a lot more. The divine good that we as believers can perform is good that is consistent with the teachings of Scripture and will one day even be rewarded of God. The other will not. So, obviously it’s important that we learn to know the difference and act accordingly.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
These are rewards that will be enjoyed forever.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. [Emphasis added]
This is letting us know that the “good works” of even believers are not all acceptable, let alone rewardable by God. Obviously all this “good” in works is not thought to be good to God. In fact, please note what He says about all the natural man’s [the unbeliever’s] good works of righteousness.
Isaiah 64:6
6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. [Emphasis added]
I already have an article on this website about this—
Works: Are we blessed because of our production of them?
It should be no wonder to us that all these good works that are wrongly motivated and/or are performed inconsistently with the teachings of Scripture are going to be “burned” up in a form of judgment. God completely rejects such works for salvation and any other blessing of God.
Titus 3:5
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [Emphasis added]
If you don’t know the meaning of regeneration, please see my article about it—
Regeneration: Are people “born again” today?
We find that unbelievers will be judged according to their works at what is called the Great White Throne Judgment.
Revelation 20:11-15
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works [a reference to their “good” works].
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. [Emphasis added]
It seems that most people assume that this judgment will be for sins that have been committed. But that can’t be true because all our sins have already been judged at the cross of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:19-21
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
What a marvelous truth this is! These are things the church at large has rejected. So many people act like nothing’s been done about their sins. The truth of the matter is that Jesus Christ paid the full penalty for them for all mankind, not just those we speak of as believers or as Christians.
1 John 2:2
2 And he [Jesus Christ] is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. [Emphasis added]
Peter tells us the same thing.
2 Peter 2:1
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them [speaking of His redemptive work for them], and bring upon themselves swift destruction. [Emphasis added]
Note how the writer of Hebrews puts it.
Hebrews 2:9
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he [Jesus Christ] by the grace of God should taste death for every man. [Emphasis added]
When a person believes the gospel message, they don’t get their sins forgiven; they get the perfect righteousness of Christ applied to them for their justification and resultant salvation. Their sins were all judged at the cross.
Romans 4:25
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. [Emphasis added]
Romans 5:18-19
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. [Emphasis added]
And, again, 2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
So many people act like that verse isn’t in the Bible. Since the sins were judged and paid for through Christ’s work on the cross, they were then and there forgiven. As for instance, if you pay off a loan, the debt is then and there said to be forgiven. That’s exactly what happened when Christ paid off the sin debt of mankind. Your belief that it was forgiven doesn’t have anything to do with it. It was the paying off of the debt that provided the forgiveness. What all people need today is not their sins forgiven, but the righteousness of Christ applied to them for their salvation. When someone believes they were paid for at the cross and forgiven, they are then saved. We are therefore told that we’re justified by such faith. There’s not one word anywhere in the apostle Paul’s thirteen epistles that says we’re forgiven of our sins by faith. Not even one! If you want more information about this, please see my other articles about it. Here are links to them—
Forgiveness: Are the sins of everyone forgiven?
Forgiveness: How complete is it?
Forgiveness: What is the “gotcha” passage?
Forgiveness: What should we conclude about it from Scripture?
As I often say, a person can’t even get saved without believing Christ died for his sins. That’s an inherent part of our gospel message.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]
The “good” people do cannot provide anyone with salvation. It is totally unacceptable to God. Salvation only comes to someone by grace through faith in Christ’s work, HIS good, not their own good works.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Emphasis added]
As the next verse in that passage says, it is our salvation by grace through faith alone that should motivate us to perform good works.
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. [Emphasis added]
There’s much good we as believers can do in the world. Probably some of the best “good” you’ll ever do will be in leading someone to know and believe the content of this article. People everywhere need to hear the gospel, the good news about what God did through Christ about their sin problem. Have you shared that message with someone lately?
Again, 2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
The good we do as believers will be judged at what is called the Judgment Seat of Christ. Are you prepared for this? Are you content that you have a lot to look forward to at that judgment? Most people are not. But that occasion of judgment is surely coming. We get closer to it every day. Our works of righteousness, our human good was not judged at the cross of Christ. That is a judgment that is yet to come. Again, are you ready for this?
Our works of righteousness, our human good was not judged at the cross of Christ. That is a judgment that is yet to come.
2 Corinthians 5:10
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. [Emphasis added]
If you have some doubts about your preparedness, why not focus on that now like never before. You’ll surely be glad if you will.
