ROMANS 2:6-11: “…Who “WILL RENDER TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” NKJV

OBSERVATION: What will happen when I die? This is the question that everyone faces as they consider their mortality. As one grows older this becomes a growing consideration. When the days that lie ahead of our lives are less than what is behind, we begin to weigh the accomplishments of our lives and ask the question…

AM I GOOD ENOUGH?

Most people who do not profess faith in Jesus Christ rely upon the scale of personal accomplishments. They look over their life and trust that as long as the scale of the good outweighs the bad they will be ok. When asked if they will go to heaven when they die most will reply – “Yes, I believe I will go to heaven. I have lived a good life!” Yet, there remains this question that will not go away…

AM I GOOD ENOUGH?

When we read Paul’s Epistle to the Romans it seems Paul agrees with this point of view. In the second chapter, he writes,

“…Who “WILL RENDER TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality…”

Is Paul saying, that as long as I strive to do good, seek the benefit of others, and show honor and respect, I will gain eternal life? If we pull this verse out of context and isolate it, it would seem so. Yet, we can never base our understanding of Scripture on simply one verse. Yet, I will concede that Paul is suggesting that if one could live a perfect life and never break God’s commandments – one could attain immortality.

YET, IS THIS POSSIBLE?

This is the question that every moralist must consider. Anyone who takes comfort in the scale of their life’s achievments needs to weigh them against the true scale of God’s righteousness. God does not grade on a curve. If I decide I want to be judged by what I have done, I must score a perfect 100% to enter eternal life through my merit. This is where I am faced with the same question all over again.

AM I GOOD ENOUGH?

Paul answers this question in the very next chapter with these revealing proclamations.

“As it is written: “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS; THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS AFTER GOD. THEY HAVE ALL TURNED ASIDE; THEY HAVE TOGETHER BECOME UNPROFITABLE; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE.” (Rom 3:10-12 NKJV)

The reality is that no one hits the bullseye when it comes to being good enough! When we measure ourselves against other people it is easy to find those whose lives are broken beyond ours. Yet, in reality – we are all broken. All of our good works are canceled by our sins. We give money to a worthy cause and then we harbor resentment and unforgiveness towards another. We take pride in our moral lives yet our minds are filled with envy, lust, and every evil thought. Paul goes on to say,

“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Rom 3:19-20 NKJV)

Let’s apply this principle to driving. To attain immortality based on our good works we would need to drive perfectly all of our life. We would have to drive without ever speeding, running a stop sign, going through a red light, going down a one-way street, making an illegal u-turn, or getting into a fender bender. When I use this analogy I realize the sobering truth…

I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

So many ask – “Why do I have to believe in Jesus to have eternal life?” THIS IS THE REASON! Without Jesus, we are all facing a life of suffering when we die.

“…but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;”

Jesus is the only one who hit God’s bullseye! Jesus never missed a stop sign, went over the speed limit, made an illegal u-turn, went down the wrong way on a one-way street, or got into a fender bender. Jesus is the only man who lived a perfect life and satisfied God’s standard of perfection. Jesus, having fulfilled all righteousness, gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins so that we could be reunited with God the Father and obtain what we all strive for – Immortality! ETERNAL LIFE!

JESUS WAS GOOD ENOUGH!

This is the Good News! This is what separates Christianity from all other world religions. We do not strive to be good enough, we trust in the one who is good enough! As we trust in Jesus, we are forgiven of our sins, given the promise of eternal life, and we are filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit to do good works. As we trust in Christ, His life begins to change our lives. We are no longer striving to be good enough. We are trusting in the One who is Good!

“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;” (Rom 3:21-22 NKJV)

As I trust in Jesus Christ, He changes my heart. I find the capacity to love, forgive, and change. The things that were hidden – He lovingly brings out into the open to transform and heal. The good that I do is no longer to impact the scales of my life. Rather, the good that I do is out of love for Jesus and love for others. It is the love of God transforming me as I trust in the completed work of Jesus Christ! The reality is –

I WILL NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH!

JESUS, ALONE, IS MY RIGHTEOUSNESS!

Thanks be to God that Jesus was good enough! Thanks be to God that my mortality meets His immortality when I place my faith in Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God that I no longer have to face death with fear or uncertainty. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift through Jesus Christ my Lord!

“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.” (Rom 3:27-28 NKJV)

In Jesus’ Name!