We all like to think of ourselves as good people. Not just ourselves, but unbelievers too. Perhaps we're friends with an atheist or a Muslim. Perhaps a Sikh or a Hindu. Maybe a non-Christian Jew or a Buddhist. All of these people, we think of as good. Meanwhile, perhaps we look at our fellow Christians (assuming they are Christians) and think "they're not so great".
This warped perspective affects both the witness of Christians and the success of witnessing efforts to unbelievers, because it swaps the priorities of faith and works. Fact: You cannot get into Heaven by being a good person.
This is because sin has stained our garments. Because of our sin, our righteousness is worthless to Him. Some of you may have noticed I used two translations in the header image. This wasn't deliberate, it's just that the YouVersion app only allows you to add one version to an image at a time, so I added the first verse first, then realised the HCSB is less clear on the status of our righteousness. However, in all versions, Isaiah 64:6 compares our righteousness to some form of useless, grotty textile.
I wonder how many of my readers are familiar with the case of Temar Boggs. I've used him in an analogy before. Boggs is a heroic teen who, on his bike, chased a kidnapper who dragged a young girl into his car. He saved the girl and became an internet sensation. But the next segment of Temar's life is less well known. He was convicted of armed robbery later on. Interestingly, his lawyers did bring up his heroism in his trial. But of course, this did not affect his trial. A just judge, when considering a crime, will judge the crime, not the righteousness.
And God is a just judge. Because we have sinned, God must judge us, and the only correct judgement is death. The only possible counter is faith. The Bible tells us that without faith, it is 100% impossible to please Him. He rewards those who seek Him, but those who refuse Him are condemned through their disbelief.
Because we have all sinned, there is no such thing as a good person. Each and every one of us, even the most devout Christians, are sinners. And if we say otherwise, John says we are deceiving ourselves (1 John 1:8). Jesus, and Jesus alone, saves us from the wrath we are owed from that.