by June McGee

Created on: April 16, 2009

There are two definitions of the word, good. One of them is man's interpretation and the other is God's interpretation. Man's interpretation of "good" would be like just being a nice person and God's interpretation would be more along the lines of being perfect. When called Good Master by some of the people gathered around Him, Jesus replied, "Why do you call me good? There is one only who is good and that is my Father which is in Heaven" (Matthew 19:16&17). Here we have a stark contrast between the good of man and the good of God. Those who were calling Jesus Good master were implying an interpretation of man (a nice person) and Jesus turned the entire situation back on them and said that only God Himself is truly good (or perfect). And in the twenty-first verse Jesus so much as says, "If thou wilt perfect" He is relating back to when they called Him Good (perfect) Master.

In Matthew 7:21, 22&23 the Bible says

"Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven.

Many will say into me in that say, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?

And I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

Clearly, Jesus is rejecting those who thought that doing good works, or doing good things, or being good people only, would get them into Heaven. In fact, He refers to this sort of behavior as working iniquity. That is to say, if you believe that just being a good person, doing good things all of your life, and conducting yourself in a Godly manner, will get you into Heaven, Jesus says that you are working iniquity. All of the things mentioned in these three verses, and much more, fall under the heading of man's interpretation of being good. Notice that Jesus also says, in the twenty-third verse, "I never knew you". How in the world can you think that you are going to Heaven to live with Jesus forever when He doesn't even know you?

One cannot work his/her way into Heaven. All of the good deeds we, as good people, choose to do will not get us even one step closer to Heaven. The only way to enter into eternal life is to follow after the will of God; to not only know what it is for each of our lives but also to do that will as well. This and this only is what makes us truly perfect in His eyes.

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