God Is More Than Fair

A few weeks ago I read a wonderful book by Pastor Andy Stanley entitled, “Since Nobody’s Perfect… How Good Is Good Enough?” The basic premise of the book is: Good People don’t go to heaven. I believe he is right when he says that most people reject this view. Clearly, there is a disconnect between what it means to hear Jesus’ words about salvation and what we think is fair and good. Stanley goes on to say that many people want God to let good people into heaven, but lack a real understanding of what “goodness” is. For example, when early scientists claimed that the world was round and that the earth orbited the Sun, they were thrown out of the church and placed under house arrest. Also, during the 1960’s an African American woman entered a church sanctuary to join in an all white congregation’s worship service. She arrived about thirty minutes before the service. The deacons were aghast and decided that the “good” thing to do would be to simply turn off the lights and maybe she would leave. When this tactic failed, they finally went to her and asked her to leave. Through the ages, we, as human beings, have struggled mightily with the concept of “goodness.” These are simply two minor examples, I am sure that you can think of so many more failures to be “good.”
So, do you believe Jesus? I have heard people say that they like Jesus. I have heard people say they admired Him. Even when someone said they didn’t believe in Him, I never heard anyone say, “Jesus is a liar.” So the question remains… do you believe Jesus? Do you? In many of Jesus’ confrontations with the religious and “good” people, the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and law keeping public, He was blunt and to the point about who is heading into the kingdom of God. Matthew 21: 42-45 reveals Jesus viewpoint, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief corner stone; this came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust. When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them.”
These may be hard words to hear. We know many good people who do not accept Christ or even those who claim to be Christians yet they rely upon their own “good lives” by the world’s standards but fail to seek God through the forgiveness of sins. It is hard to hear that not everyone you know or even love may be going to heaven. We may find ourselves wishing God let “good people” in. But if that were the case, what would be good enough? God has standards. But here is the real “Good” news.
God’s standard is more than fair. Going to heaven is not about being good! God does not want to judge anyone by their “goodness.” We would all fail. God wants to judge us by our acceptance of the fact that we cannot and never will be able to live up to God’s standard of righteousness. We cannot depend upon our goodness…we must depend upon God and the grace which is provided only by God. There are no other ways to heaven, no other gods, no buy-ins, no works, nothing except grace alone. Apostle Paul speaks to this when he says in Romans 12, “Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.” Yes, God is more than fair. God accepts everyone who believes in Him. If you didn’t know already… you are His beloved child and God yearns for the day when you stop fooling yourself into thinking that somehow you are “good” with God. God wants true dependence and submission not independence with a self centered view that you, like Adam and Eve, can make your own way in the world. Honestly, I believe this is one of, if not the biggest issue that plagues the modern church. Some good folks somehow think they can create a stairway to heaven with just being “good.” It was a struggle for folks in Jesus’ day and it is in ours as well. It is not about rules and regulations, but relationships. That’s it and that’s Good News!