Can Being a Good Person Make Us Right with God?
Most of us want to think of ourselves as good people. We try to be honest, care for our families, help others when we can, and live according to what we believe is right.
When we make mistakes, we may apologize, try to put things right, or promise ourselves that we will do better.
But there is a question worth considering. Can the good things we do make up for the wrong things we have done before God?
The Bible gives us a reason to think carefully about this.
“For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23, NIV 2011, excerpt).
In the previous article, we saw how sin entered human life and affected our relationship with God. Here, Paul reminds us that sin has consequences. We are accountable to God, and those consequences cannot simply be set aside because we have also done good things.
Think of an occasion when you have hurt someone. You may genuinely regret what happened and wish you could take back your words or actions. You can apologize and make every effort to put things right. These are important steps, but they cannot change what has already happened.
Our relationship with God involves something far more serious. His holiness is perfect, and we have all fallen short of His righteousness.
Paul explains that no one will be declared righteous before God by observing the law (Romans 3:20). God’s commandments show us what is right, but knowing what is right does not mean we have always lived accordingly.
We may improve our conduct, develop better habits, and learn from our failures. Yet none of these can remove the guilt of sin before God.
We need forgiveness that we cannot earn for ourselves.
Why We Cannot Save Ourselves
There is a difference between helping someone improve their life and rescuing someone who cannot escape a danger on their own.
The Bible speaks of salvation in this second sense.
Our need is deeper than a lack of knowledge or discipline. We have sinned against God, and we cannot make ourselves righteous before Him through our own efforts.
This may be difficult to accept, especially if we have spent much of our lives believing that doing good, helping others, and fulfilling our religious responsibilities will make us acceptable to God.
Good works matter. Scripture encourages generosity, honesty, mercy, and justice. Jesus Himself taught us to love God and our neighbors.
But there is something good works cannot accomplish.
They cannot take away our sins.
Paul writes in Titus 3:5 that God saves us because of His mercy, rather than because of righteous things we have done.
This does not make a good life unimportant. It helps us understand the difference between living rightly and receiving salvation.
A person may be kind, respected, successful, and generous, yet still need God’s forgiveness. Another may carry deep regret over past choices and wonder whether forgiveness is possible.
Both need the same mercy.
No one can earn a place before God through personal goodness, and no one’s past makes them less worthy of being treated with dignity and compassion.
Reflect & Respond: When you think about being accepted by God, what do you find yourself relying on: your own goodness, your religious practices, or His mercy?
An Encounter That Reveals Our Greatest Need
One day, Jesus was teaching in a house in Capernaum. So many people had gathered that there was no room left, even near the doorway.
Four men arrived carrying a friend who was paralyzed.
They wanted to bring him to Jesus, but the crowd made it impossible to enter. Rather than turn back, they went up to the roof, made an opening, and lowered their friend on his mat into the room where Jesus was teaching.
Imagine being there.
A man who could not walk was being lowered through the roof. Everyone could see that he needed help. Perhaps those watching expected Jesus to heal him immediately.
Instead, Jesus said something unexpected.
“Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5, NIV 2011).
Some teachers of the law who were present were troubled by His words. They believed, rightly, that the authority to forgive sins belongs to God.
Who was Jesus to make such a declaration?
Jesus knew what they were thinking. He then told the man to get up, take his mat, and go home.
The man stood, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of everyone.
Jesus had healed him, but He had also revealed something much greater about Himself.
He possessed authority on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:10–12).
The passage does not suggest that the man’s paralysis was caused by a particular sin. His healing served as a visible demonstration of Jesus’ authority to forgive.
This encounter helps us understand why Jesus came.
He saw people’s suffering and responded with compassion. He healed the sick, welcomed those whom others rejected, and cared for people whom society often overlooked.
But His mission went beyond meeting their immediate needs.
Jesus came to deal with the problem of sin.
He said of Himself that He had come to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
The man in Capernaum needed healing. Like every one of us, he also needed forgiveness. Jesus had authority to give both.
Why Jesus Is the Savior We Need
Throughout history, people have looked to teachers, religious leaders, and wise individuals for guidance about how to live.
Jesus certainly taught people how to live. His teachings about love, forgiveness, humility, and righteousness continue to challenge us.
But the Bible makes a much greater claim about Him.
Jesus came to save sinners.
The angel who announced His birth to the shepherds identified Him as the Savior, Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).
Why was Jesus uniquely able to save us?
The New Testament reveals that He is the eternal Son of God who became human (John 1:1, 14).
He was born into our world, lived among ordinary people, experienced hunger and tiredness, and knew what it meant to face temptation.
Yet He never sinned.
Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus was tempted as we are, but remained without sin.
Every one of us needs forgiveness. Jesus had no sins of His own for which He needed forgiveness.
He lived in perfect obedience to His Father.
As the eternal Son of God who became truly human, Jesus was able to represent humanity and accomplish what no other person could accomplish.
Paul describes Him as the one mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5).
A mediator stands between parties who need to be brought together. In our case, sin has separated us from God, and we cannot remove that separation ourselves.
Jesus is the One through whom reconciliation becomes possible.
This is why Christians speak of Him as Savior rather than simply a teacher, prophet, or example of a good life.
Jesus came to do for sinners what none of us could do for ourselves.
Why the Bible Says There Is Only One Savior
Perhaps you have wondered why Christianity teaches that salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone.
It is an understandable question, particularly for someone who has grown up with different religious beliefs or has only recently begun exploring the Bible.
The apostles were clear about their conviction.
When Peter spoke before the Jewish rulers in Jerusalem, he declared:
“Salvation is found in no one else” (Acts 4:12, NIV 2011, excerpt).
Jesus Himself taught that He is the way to the Father (John 14:6).
These words deserve to be considered carefully.
The Christian claim is not that followers of Jesus are better people than everyone else. Christians, too, are sinners who need God’s grace.
Nor does the Bible teach that people from other backgrounds lack kindness, sincerity, or the ability to do good.
The question concerns how sinners can be reconciled to a holy God.
According to Scripture, Jesus alone is the sinless Son of God who gave Himself for our salvation. His identity and His saving work make Him unique.
No other person can claim to have fulfilled that role.
This is why the message of Jesus is so important to Christians, and why they seek to share it with people from every nation and background.
For someone exploring Christianity, there is no need to pretend that every question has already been answered. The Gospel accounts invite us to examine Jesus’ life, listen to His teaching, and consider the claims He made about Himself.
The question is not simply whether His teachings are useful.
It is whether Jesus truly is the Savior whom God has given to humanity.
Salvation: A Gift We Could Never Earn
Return for a moment to Romans 6:23.
Paul begins the verse by speaking about the wages of sin, but he does not end there. He goes on to speak about God’s gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
The difference between wages and a gift is important.
We work for wages. We receive a gift because someone chooses to give it.
Paul uses this contrast to help us understand salvation.
We cannot earn forgiveness or eternal life through our own efforts. God offers salvation through His grace.
The word grace speaks of God’s undeserved favor.
In Ephesians 2:8–9, Paul explains that salvation is by grace through faith. It is God’s gift, rather than something we can claim as the result of our works.
This is wonderful news for anyone who has wondered whether they have done enough to be accepted by God.
We cannot make ourselves righteous before Him, but God has provided the Savior through whom we can be forgiven.
Jesus gave His life for sinners and rose again from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).
His death and resurrection are central to the Christian gospel. Through them, God has provided the way for our salvation.
There is much more to understand about why Jesus had to die and what His resurrection means. We will consider these carefully in the next article.
For now, remember this: Salvation rests on what God has done through Jesus Christ, rather than what we can accomplish for ourselves.
What Does This Mean for You?
Perhaps you have always believed in God but have never thought deeply about why you need a Savior.
Or you may be exploring Christianity for the first time, trying to understand what makes Jesus different from other religious figures.
You may have lived a responsible life and found it difficult to understand why the Bible says everyone needs forgiveness.
Whatever your background, the invitation to consider Jesus Christ is worth taking seriously.
The Bible does not ask us to pretend that we have lived perfectly or to convince ourselves that our good deeds outweigh our sins.
It tells us that God has provided a Savior.
We may still have questions. We may need time to read the Scriptures and understand what Jesus taught. We may want to speak with someone who can patiently help us explore these things.
That is a worthwhile place to begin.
Read the Gospel of Mark or John. Pay attention to what Jesus says about Himself, the people He meets, and the reasons He gives for coming into the world.
As you read, consider the question at the heart of this article.
If our greatest need is forgiveness and reconciliation with God, who is able to give them to us?
The New Testament points us to Jesus Christ.
Reflect & Respond: What have you discovered about your need for a Savior, and what would you like to understand more fully about Jesus?
Digging Deeper: Insights from the Biblical Languages
Three Greek words help us understand how the New Testament speaks about Jesus and the salvation God offers through Him.
Sōtēr (σωτήρ): Savior
The Greek word sōtēr means “savior” or “deliverer.”
It appears in Luke 2:11, where the angel announces the birth of Jesus. The same title is used in John 4:42, when the Samaritans acknowledge Jesus as the Savior of the world.
The word describes someone who brings deliverance or rescue.
The surrounding passages help us understand what that deliverance involves. Jesus came to save sinners and bring them into a right relationship with God.
Mesitēs (μεσίτης): Mediator
Paul uses mesitēs in 1 Timothy 2:5 when speaking of Jesus Christ as the one mediator between God and humanity.
A mediator acts between two parties.
In this passage, Paul emphasizes the unique role of Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:6).
The word helps us understand why salvation requires more than our personal effort. Reconciliation with God comes through Jesus Christ.
Charis (χάρις): Grace
The Greek word charis can mean “grace,” “favor,” or “kindness,” depending on its context.
In Ephesians 2:8, Paul uses it to explain that salvation comes from God’s grace.
We cannot earn salvation or claim it as something God owes us. He offers it freely through Jesus Christ.
This is why Paul describes salvation as God’s gift.
Continue Exploring the Good News
We have seen why humanity needs a Savior and why the Bible identifies Jesus Christ as the One who can bring us back to God.
But how did He accomplish this?
Why was His death necessary? And why is His resurrection at the heart of the Christian faith?
Continue reading: Christ’s Death and Resurrection.
The next article explores what Jesus accomplished through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead.