Your Goodness is not the Answer

Psalm 24:1-4

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.  Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?  Who may stand in his holy place?  The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol
or swear by a false god.”

In my early days at 3M, I worked for a division of 3M called BPSI.  We were the Business product sales, and we sold overhead projectors to schools, copy machines, microfilm equipment and supplies to make them work.  I worked with some very diverse people, one such person was Butch in our service department, and he was an ex-navy chief that spent WWII in a submarine, and he told every customer many things, but always that all our salespeople were liars.  He was not my favorite person that served our customers, but some loved him, and others said never to send him back again.  Another was Joe Williams who was in sales, and he was one of those smooth talkers, who often told me that there were two things in the world no one could overcome, apathy and ignorance, never have I believed Joe more than in 2019.  So many people are indifferent, lazy, and unconcerned about the truth, they do not read, or listen to anyone or anything that would challenge them. 

In John 14:6, Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  One only has two choices; he is a mad man, or He is the Son of God.  No other objects are open to one seeking the truth.  Today is no exception, from the day Jesus walked on planet earth.  A seeker of the truth we will find in the gospel according to John, chapter 1, and verses 9-13 this insight.  “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.  He came to his own,^[ and his own people^[b] did not receive him.  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” 

Now if you are indifferent, or not interested, or have no concern for Truth, you fit what Joe was telling me about people in general, they are apathetic and ignorant, but you still have a choice, and I pray you start searching today.

These questions are worthy of pondering and seeking answers, “ Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?  Who may stand in his holy place?  Many have said, I’m good, I’m moral, and I even give money to the guys on the corners who are begging, and I save stray dogs and cats.  But Jesus said when called a good teacher by a rich young man, only God is good, so how do you compare to God?

At the age of 27, I knew goodness was not my strong suit, in fact, I had discovered that the Bible teaches that my good works are like filthy rags before a Holy God, so I knew that my desire to earn goodness was not going to give me   answers to those two questions above.

But, I found the answer was not in my goodness, but in God’s only Son, Jesus Christ who took my punishment and died for my sin and yours.  For all have sinned and fall short of God’s requirements.  So how does one meet God’s demands?  I found the answer in Romans 10:9-10, “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice