THE GOOD PERSON

There is certainly nothing wrong with being a good person since the alternative is being a bad person. However, Jesus confronts this in the Pharisees of his day with warnings that though one might be good, or appear good or even moral, “God knows our heart.”

It is so easy to get caught up in this notion of ‘being good.’ Jesus said to the Pharisees, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is detestable in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15) I might be able to fool others and myself… but God knows my heart.

Mark Roberts writes, “I am caught up short by Jesus’ reminder here: “God knows your hearts.” In the biblical world, your heart was not just the home of emotions. It was the center of your inner reality, the place of thinking as well as feeling, and especially the place of choosing. No matter how good we look on the outside, God knows what’s on the inside.”

Our false self can tell us we are good but the Lord is interested in us having a transformed heart and being in right relationship with Him in the inner true self. Nothing makes us less true than being a phony while pretending to be something else. Since God knows our heart… we might as well live in reality. There is something better than being good.  

“First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.” Jesus