Do you hope you are good enough?

[RichardBurger]

Do you hope you are good enough?

In a Sunday school class the group was talking about getting into heaven. To my surprise a person said they hoped they were good enough and several others said the same.

Is that comment the general attitude of Christians in the church and if so, where does it come from?

 

[AWord2TheWise4u]

Do you hope you are good enough?

In a Sunday school class the group was talking about getting into heaven. To my surprise a person said they hoped they were good enough and several others said the same.

Is that comment the general attitude of Christians in the church and if so, where does it come from?

"Is that comment the general attitude of Christians in the church and if so, where does it come from?"

IT COMES FROM THEIR HEART.

Does it bother you that others do not want to be as evil as they are?

 

[RichardBurger]

"Is that comment the general attitude of Christians in the church and if so, where does it come from?"

IT COMES FROM THEIR HEART.

Does it bother you that others do not want to be as evil as they are?

What worries me is that people really think they can be good enough to go to heaven; that the reason they think they are going there is because of their trying to be good.

Doesn't that bother you?

 

[AWord2TheWise4u]

What worries me is that people really think they can be good enough to go to heaven; that the reason they think they are going there is because of their trying to be good.

Doesn't that bother you?

No it does not bother me.

I wish everyone would try to be good.

And I wish those who try to be good

TRY HARDER.

Your worry is all for not anyway.

 

[Episkopos]

It is bothersome...agreed!

But I also hear the same argument but in reverse. Many believe they are already good enough...just have to believe in an historical event and they are saved and glorified with Christ.

The first scenario you have shown demonstrates a lack of knowledge...but at least it is somehow innocent.

The second one adds to ignorance a smugness and even arrogance. Not a good thing.

No it does not bother me.

I wish everyone would try to be good.

And I wish those who try to be good

TRY HARDER.

Your worry is all for not anyway.

It is better to try being good than just doing evil. But if we would truly be a light in the world we would walk by grace and SHOW the power of the life to come through love, jot and peace in the Spirit. We can't do this on our own. Christ in us needs to be allowed to shine forth in the world.

 

[AWord2TheWise4u]

It is bothersome...agreed!

But I also hear the same argument but in reverse. Many believe they are already good enough...just have to believe in an historical event and they are saved and glorified with Christ.

The first scenario you have shown demonstrates a lack of knowledge...but at least it is somehow innocent.

The second one adds to ignorance a smugness and even arrogance. Not a good thing.



It is better to try being good than just doing evil. But if we would truly be a light in the world we would walk by grace and SHOW the power of the life to come through love, jot and peace in the Spirit. We can't do this on our own. Christ in us needs to be allowed to shine forth in the world.

If you thought this would be good enough.

Think again.

I have enough patience for you.

 

[THE Gypsy]

Do you hope you are good enough?

In a Sunday school class the group was talking about getting into heaven. To my surprise a person said they hoped they were good enough and several others said the same.

Is that comment the general attitude of Christians in the church and if so, where does it come from?

Nope.

 

[AWord2TheWise4u]

The next best thing to trying to be good

is trying to do good.

I am thinking when the Books are open

they are going to look in there and see how much good or how little good

you have done with your time here on Earth.

And that is going to be 1 of the determining factors, on where you go from there.

 

[Prentis]

A humble attitude that tries to be good and hopes God will have mercy is 'ignorant' in a sense... But it is also unassuming.

Better to do this than to not even lift a finger to do what is right and yet consider yourself justified before God... And look down on those who don't!

Makes me think of... The Pharisee and the Publican!

As Episkopos pointed out, even better is to be a saint, overcoming through Christ!

 

[aspen]

You know, I really have never met a morally arrogant person. Everyone I've met understands they struggle to live up to their own or God's moral code. Sure I've met arrogant people who are smug about what they know or who they know or what they do for a living, but a morally arrogant person - one who believe they are morally perfect? Nope.

It makes me rethink the common view of the Fall that God is sitting back thinking 'How dare they!" every time someone sins......I think it is more like His creation is broken - they're focus is out of whack - they focus on themselves rather than others - they need forgiveness and refocus.

 

[prism]

Do you hope you are good enough?

In a Sunday school class the group was talking about getting into heaven. To my surprise a person said they hoped they were good enough and several others said the same.

Is that comment the general attitude of Christians in the church and if so, where does it come from?

There are also those who say 'I know salvation is a free gift, but I only hope I can endure in order to make it in'.
Then there are those who don't see the oxymoron in the above statement.
To those of you who persist in false humility by adding your own efforts to the salvation given by Jesus Christ, let me ask you one question...What part of 'free' don't you understand in the following verses?

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 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.
(Rom 5:15-18)

If you notice, God is not only saying 'gift' (which is free) but for emphasis He adds the emphatic adjective 'free'. And yet there are so many who cannot, like a little child, receive freely His unspeakable Gift but rather put themselves and sometimes try to drag others onto their treadmill of salvation by self effort.

 

[informer]

For me, we should never suppose that we are good enough, but just leave it at "the hope of salvation"; the trust and dependence on God´s Word. Again, for me, our attitude ought to be as those who began in Christianity, such as John the Baptist saying, "I am unworthy to even stoop down and unloosen His shoe latches"; or Peter saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man O Lord"; or the centurion saying, "I am unworthy that you should enter under my roof"; or Paul saying, "I am less than the least of all saints". God gives grace only to the humble, but never to the proud, but resists them. Unfortunately too many are taught in today´s churches that they may rather think of themselves as so good, and so wonderful of a person, that they may say even with pride such things as: "I am worthy not only to stoop down and loosen your shoe latches, but to wear them myself"; or say, "Do not depart from me, for I am a good enough man O Lord"; or say, "I am worthy that you should come under my roof"; or say, "I am greater than the greatest of all saints". It is repentance and a continual repentant heart which qualifies us for salvation, and not supposing that we are somehow good enough.

 

[aspen]

Humility is not modeled for us very well in our arrogant culture. People who are noticed for their humility usually are displaying false humility. Being humble is not downplaying your strengths - it is the ability to accurately understand your strengths and weaknesses. It is knowing yourself.

We are part of creation - God made us to love. Yet, we often sin by focusing on ourselves rather than loving others - we learned this broken way of living from our parents. We are not abominations, worms, or depraved; nor are we perfect, gods, or complete without God's fellowship. No need to get dramatic about flogging or ridiculing ourselves at the foot of the cross if we are truly humble. God is just calling for an accurate assessment and a teachable spirit.

 

[AWord2TheWise4u]

A humble attitude that tries to be good and hopes God will have mercy is 'ignorant' in a sense... But it is also unassuming.

Better to do this than to not even lift a finger to do what is right and yet consider yourself justified before God... And look down on those who don't!

Makes me think of... The Pharisee and the Publican!

As Episkopos pointed out, even better is to be a saint, overcoming through Christ!

When you can look upon the heart of a man, like Episkopos can,

then you can rightly see them as God sees them.

A good rule of thumb that I go by might also help you...here it is,

Just because they are humble on the outside does not mean they are humble on the inside.

Just because they are humble in your presence does not mean they are humble in my presence and visa versa.

It is better to just see to your own humbleness and leave theirs alone.

 

[RichardBurger]

Do you hope you are good enough?

In a Sunday school class the group was talking about getting into heaven. To my surprise a person said they hoped they were good enough and several others said the same.

Is that comment the general attitude of Christians in the church and if so, where does it come from?

The sad thing about this is that being good will not save anyone.

When a person thinks that being good will earn them a place in heaven that person is on their way to hell.

And yet that is what I see on forums today. All that is talked about is being good. --- Being good is not the gospel of the grace of God.

Romans 10:8-11
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
NKJV

No one goes to heaven because they are good. They go there because they put their faith in Jesus' work on the cross. If a person's faith is in their goodness then it isn't in Jesus. --- In simpler words, if you don't know you are going to heaven because of what Jesus did on the cross then you are not going because you have no belief, faith, trust, confidence in what Jesus did on your behalf.

 

[Rach1370]

Do you hope you are good enough?

In a Sunday school class the group was talking about getting into heaven. To my surprise a person said they hoped they were good enough and several others said the same.

Is that comment the general attitude of Christians in the church and if so, where does it come from?

I think that thought (that we can be good enough to earn our way into heaven) comes from misunderstanding or ignorance.

As others have said, of course it is 'better' to try and be good as opposed to not trying or being bad. But that's not the point at hand. The point being, does 'being good enough' get you into heaven? The answer, no, it does not.

There was only one person who was ever 'good enough' to get into heaven on their own merit, Jesus. On the cross His righteousness was imputed to those who believe in Him. So, do I believe or hope that I am good enough? No, but I know that Jesus is, and I know that His work on the cross is enough for me...I trust in Him and His work, not me and mine...thank goodness!

But having said that, no one who truly understands that great exchange, should be smug about the surety of their salvation...how can we when we know it's our sin that nailed Him up there? Do we need to live Godly lives? Yes, but not because we have to; but because we get to. We get to live a life that has Jesus at the centre...wonderful! We get to praise God and do our best to show His glory...amazing! Mostly, we just try to live 'right' so we can say a heartfelt "thank you Lord!"

 

[aspen]

Nah, it is must stronger than 'hope', I think it is FAITH that I am good enough.........

that was a New Years joke for you all

 

[AWord2TheWise4u]

The sad thing about this is that being good will not save anyone.

When a person thinks that being good will earn them a place in heaven that person is on their way to hell.

And yet that is what I see on forums today. All that is talked about is being good. --- Being good is not the gospel of the grace of God.

Romans 10:8-11
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
NKJV

No one goes to heaven because they are good. They go there because they put their faith in Jesus' work on the cross. If a person's faith is in their goodness then it isn't in Jesus. --- In simpler words, if you don't know you are going to heaven because of what Jesus did on the cross then you are not going because you have no belief, faith, trust, confidence in what Jesus did on your behalf.

How many times have you been to heaven?

 

[RichardBurger]

No it does not bother me.

I wish everyone would try to be good.

And I wish those who try to be good

TRY HARDER.

Your worry is all for not anyway.

Have you ever studied the scriptures?

According to scripture no one will get into heaven on their own merit, absolutely no one is good enough to get into heaven by their own works. And as I see it those that think they can go to heaven on their own merit will end up in Hell.

According to what you wrote, that doesn't bother you. That doesn't say much for your love for others since you said "No it does not bother me." I see you saying it doesn't bother you if they go to Hell. Correct me if I am wrong.

How many times have you been to heaven?

This statement shows your ignorance. It isn't about me, it is about the truth.

 

[AWord2TheWise4u]

Have you ever studied the scriptures?

According to scripture no one will get into heaven on their own merit, absolutely no one is good enough to get into heaven by their own works. And as I see it those that think they can go to heaven on their own merit will end up in Hell.

According to what you wrote, that doesn't bother you. That doesn't say much for your love for others since you said "No it does not bother me." I see you saying it doesn't bother you if they go to Hell. Correct me if I am wrong.



This statement shows your ignorance. It isn't about me, it is about the truth.

That is why I asked you how many times have you been to heaven.