I'm Really Good with God
This is a very bold statement. By saying it, I am not saying that I have arrived by my own efforts at some special spiritual condition. I am not implying I am as good as God. Neither am I saying I am better than you or anyone else for that matter. What I am saying is that I have a life-changing personal relationship with God. Please give me a moment to explain what I mean.
"God is Good, Really Good"
God is good, really good. God is absolutely righteous and loving. He is perfect in His goodness and no one can compare to Him. Jesus Christ, in speaking of His Heavenly Father says, “No one is good but One, that is God”.
To understand God’s perfection, think about diamonds, one of the world’s most valued gems. When speaking of very expensive diamonds we use terms like “near perfect” or “nearly flawless”. Even the rarest, most highly prized diamonds of this world, when placed under the scrutiny of a microscope, are found to be imperfect. Not so with God. His character is flawless. His goodness is unmatched. His actions are without error. He alone can be said to be “perfect in all His ways.”
"You and I, really not so good"
In addition, you and I, and for that matter all of mankind, fall short of God’s perfect standard of goodness. Whether it be in word, deed, or thought, we all fail in some way to be absolutely good when measured against God. In fact, we often excuse and comfort ourselves with the thought, “nobody’s perfect.” However, in evaluating us, the Bible states that, “"No one is righteous---not even one...No one does good, not a single one."
But wait, you may say. I am basically a good person and I know a lot of basically good people. If we use each other as the measurement, we will always be able to find someone we believe that we are better than or “more good” than. We may even look good by whatever religious system we identify with. If, however, we use the perfectly good God as our yardstick and ask how we measure up to Him and His expectations, we all fall short.
"The really not good gap"
If God is absolutely good and I am not, doesn’t that cause me a problem in terms of a relationship with Him? Can I, a fallen and frail human being, really be good with a perfect, holy and righteous God? Isn’t there a gulf between us because of who He is and what I’ve done? Yes there is. Our sinfulness or “lack of goodness” separates us from God both now and potentially forever. The Bible states “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.”
"The Really Good Savior"
How then can I be good with God, or better stated, how could God be good with me? Thankfully, God has made a way.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to this earth to reveal to us what God is like. He lived a perfectly sinless life. He could say to his detractors, “Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin?” At the end of His perfectly good life He was crucified on a cruel Roman cross. But, what does that have to do with you and me?
Jesus Christ didn’t die for His own sin or misdeeds. He had none. He died for my sins and your sins. He didn’t die for us because we were good; He died for us even while we were sinners separated from God. The Apostle Paul puts it this way, “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
"The Really Good Solution"
He died to give us His goodness and make us good with God. The Bible says, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” Christ’s resurrection shows that He is indeed who He said He is and He has done indeed what He said He would do. When we stop trusting what we’ve done and place all our faith in what He’s done, we can truly be “Good with God”.
Today, if you desire to be “Good with God”, open up your heart to Him by praying a simple prayer like the one below:
Dear God, I want to be right with you. I know that I have sinned and that I could never live up to your standard of goodness no matter how hard I try. I know that my sin separates me from you and a relationship with you both now and forever. Right now I am going to stop trusting in my goodness and place my trust in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection for my sins. God, I am asking you to forgive me of my sin and give me a new relationship with you and a new life. Amen
