Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." (Matthew 19:16-17)
These verses struck me today, but especially verse 17. Jesus’ response caught my eye. Why do you ask me about what is good?
There is only One who is good.
What verses who. What is good would likely produce for us a laundry list of characteristics of what resembles righteousness. What is good may be doing particular things, having certain things, or qualities that fall in the goodness category. However, the ONE who is good refers to God. Per the verses above only God is good. He embodies goodness. He is the ONE who is good. And good describes only ONE being, and that is God.
The doing verses being struck me. We can do good things all day long, kind of like penance for sins. But our heart, while doing good things, may actually harbor evil. Things like greed, idolatry, sexual immorality, abuse, and more. We can behave on the outside and hide a sin-filled heart on the inside. But, we can keep up the cover for only so long. That’s because what is in the heart eventually spills over into the life….where it can be seen by everyone.
The being is more about what is in our hearts. It’s the essence of who we are. We may see good actions as a result. In fact, we most likely will. But, the heart can only be measured by the Creator. And Jesus maintains only God is good. So being – the state of our hearts – if they belong to God, develop the quality of goodness …(or godliness)...the quality that belongs to God.
So, if we obey God’s commandments, we will enter eternal life – per Jesus. There’s just one caveat. It is impossible to obey them perfectly. Because as humans we have a problem with sin.
The answer: Ask God into your heart to make you new. Then, through the power of the Holy Spirit, you will be made new in your being….and God (goodness) will begin to take over your life.
Pretty Cool.
LORD, thank you that You are the ONE who is good. May your goodness be found in the essence of our being. Because You live in our hearts.