Introduction:

* We men all want to be good yet without knowing what actually is good.

* Morality bothers every one of us.

* We are not contented merely with being powerful and successful, but intrinsically, we yearn to be seen as good.

* Morals guide human, but not animals.

* Yet, because of sins, our sense of goodness is always NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

* In fact, “to be good” means different thing to everyone, and thus its not valid.

<Mark 10:17-22>

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”

20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Why is it that human goodness falls short?

1) We have disregarded the laws and commandments of God as the ultimate arbitrator of all goodness.

* Human determinant of goodness is merely “statistical morality” – RC Sproul.

* Humans build an ethic upon increasing and widely accepted behavior among themselves.

* Fallen human conscience has no ultimate and absolute sense of goodness.

2) We observe the laws and commandments, but fall short of its spirit.

* Indeed, the good person doesn’t break the law (unnecessarily), but the person who doesn’t break the law may not necessarily be good.

* <Pro 16:2>: All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.

3) Because of our sinful nature, we are not able to abide to what the law demands of us.

* <Ro 7:18>: For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

* Despite that, we should neither rationalize our wrong, nor trivialize sin.

The only answer to our lack of goodness

<v21>: Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

1) Only Christ satisfies God’s standard of goodness.

* Therefore, only by putting our faith in Him alone, we are resting upon His goodness.

* The only way to overcome our fear, guilt, and lack of goodness is to fully rest upon Christ righteousness (in us).

* Sins provoke in us (Christian) a greater reliance upon Christ, and a greater struggle through the Holy Spirit to wage war against our sins.

2) What is it to turn to truly turn to Christ? 

(1) “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor” – Remove all idols in your heart (True Repentance)

(2) “Come follow me (Jesus)” – To live to do His will.

Good works after coming to Christ?

1) Good works don’t save us, yet we are empowered in Christ to do good works.

* <2 Ti 3:16-17>: 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2) Good works in Christ is different from what the world sees it as.

* Jesus said: “I come to do my Father’s will”.

* <Eph 2:10>: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.