Is Christianity about being a 'Good' person?

mlepfitjw

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Hi you.

What do you think about this?

In my own life, from someone has told me. Gallagher, you are a good person. In a time that wasn't good at all, only to ease my frustration that was going on during that time period, though we both mutually like and respected each other.

My response at this, at that time, was... that truly I was not a good person, and if you remotely see any good in me it is from the spirit of God with me because I am far from good.

Have you ever looked in the mirror, and looked deep down inside of yourself?

Are you really a good person? Is this what Christianity is about?
 

ImAllLikeOkWaitWat

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Sabertooth

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Is Christianity about being a 'Good' person?
Yes, if by 'good' you mean having your sins washed away and being sanctified by the leading of the Holy Spirit.

For any other definition of 'good', no.
 
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buzuxi02

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Being good is subjective. In fact not being good can be beneficial at certain times and situations. Christianity is a discipline and as such requires certain things of you that encompasses more than just being good.
 
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1213

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Are you really a good person? Is this what Christianity is about?

In Bible Christian means a disciple of Jesus. So, to me, Christianity mans to be a disciple of Jesus. And person is truly a disciple of Jesus, if person remains in teachings of Jesus.

Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
John 8:31-32

And I think the teachings of Jesus are about being righteous, because eternal life is for righteous.

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Mat. 5:20
 
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NerdGirl

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Hi you.

What do you think about this?

In my own life, from someone has told me. Gallagher, you are a good person. In a time that wasn't good at all, only to ease my frustration that was going on during that time period, though we both mutually like and respected each other.

My response at this, at that time, was... that truly I was not a good person, and if you remotely see any good in me it is from the spirit of God with me because I am far from good.

Have you ever looked in the mirror, and looked deep down inside of yourself?

Are you really a good person? Is this what Christianity is about?

I think goodness comes from God, not the other way around :) The closer we get to Him, the more we're able to become and show and exemplify goodness.

I think some people may have more of an innate "good" nature than others.
 
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Francis Earl

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For me, the point of being Christian is found in verses like John 17:22, 1 Corinthians 2:15-16, 1 Corinthians 12:27, and 1 John 4:18...

I think the "good" aspects of the faith are side effects of the Spirit acting in us and our widening of love for others... I do not think any of this saves in any way, it is very easy to do good things for bad reasons so the outward show is quite irrelevant.

Of course, you will be morally aligned to society as the fruits of the Spirit will not impede any law, so I am not saying it is ok to be immoral either... just that it isn't really the point of focus.
 
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Dave L

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Hi you.

What do you think about this?

In my own life, from someone has told me. Gallagher, you are a good person. In a time that wasn't good at all, only to ease my frustration that was going on during that time period, though we both mutually like and respected each other.

My response at this, at that time, was... that truly I was not a good person, and if you remotely see any good in me it is from the spirit of God with me because I am far from good.

Have you ever looked in the mirror, and looked deep down inside of yourself?

Are you really a good person? Is this what Christianity is about?
I'm the worst person I know. Ashamed of myself every waking moment. Only by doing what Christ tells me to do can I rise above myself and amount to something. But then most ("Christians") and others I know, except my wife, hate me for it. Yikes!!
 
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pescador

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I'm the worst person I know. Ashamed of myself every waking moment. Only by doing what Christ tells me to do can I rise above myself and amount to something. But then most ("Christians") and others I know, except my wife, hate me for it. Yikes!!

I'm certainly pleased that God sees you differently than you see yourself. If you have died and been born again then you are a good person in God's eyes. Don't let your own opinion or that of others contradict this one immutable fact.
 
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Soyeong

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Hi you.

What do you think about this?

In my own life, from someone has told me. Gallagher, you are a good person. In a time that wasn't good at all, only to ease my frustration that was going on during that time period, though we both mutually like and respected each other.

My response at this, at that time, was... that truly I was not a good person, and if you remotely see any good in me it is from the spirit of God with me because I am far from good.

Have you ever looked in the mirror, and looked deep down inside of yourself?

Are you really a good person? Is this what Christianity is about?
Hello,

If our goodness is relative to other people, the someone can be a good person when compared with others, but if it relative to someone who only does what is good, then none of us are good. However, the reality is that God said that man was very good before man had done anything, so our goodness is not based on how well our actions compare with others, but on who God had created us to be in His image, and Christianity is about reflecting God's image. So doing what is good is not about trying to become someone other than who we are, but rather it is acting more in line with who God had created us to be.
 
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buzuxi02

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Part of the problem with being "good" is that in of itself does not necessarily mean it's ideal. Sometimes it's NOT good to be a good person.
As an extreme point look at the historical figure of Neville Chamberlain. He was a good person. Didn't want war preferred to diplomacy etc. But there are certain opponents where your gloves need to come off for the greater good .
Being a good person is too much of generic trait and thus subjective. And at times being good doesn't equate with being holy, especially when being stern is required .
 
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mkgal1

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Is Christianity about being a 'Good' person?
I'd say that Christianity is more about understanding just how good, faithful, sovereign, and omnipotent God is - and then our life reflects that in our interactions with others.
 
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Joni Steele

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If you mean good by Gods standards, no. We all sin and fall short of the glory. Sin separates us from God. In order to spend eternity with Him we need to be sinless. This is not possible apart from the shed blood of Christ on the cross. You can not get to Heaven by being a good person. We are saved by grace through faith. We need to believe that Jesus is who He says He is and believe on His finished work on the cross.
 
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bottoWordx

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the priesthood where the Lamb of God took away the sin of the world and paid its wages, was resurrected and ascended to Heaven
He was born of the Holy Spirit, so must you
as the Holy Spirit descended as a dove upon Him and the gates of Heaven opened
 
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Hi you.

What do you think about this?

In my own life, from someone has told me. Gallagher, you are a good person. In a time that wasn't good at all, only to ease my frustration that was going on during that time period, though we both mutually like and respected each other.

My response at this, at that time, was... that truly I was not a good person, and if you remotely see any good in me it is from the spirit of God with me because I am far from good.

Have you ever looked in the mirror, and looked deep down inside of yourself?

Are you really a good person? Is this what Christianity is about?
No, I'm not a good person. None of us are good. We are all sinners.

Christianity is all about Christ Himself. From our standpoint, it's not about us being good, it's about us humbling ourselves and acknowledging to God that we are not good and can't save ourselves and need His mercy and forgiveness.

I believe the following parable illustrates the contrast between people who exalt themselves and think they can be good enough to earn God's favor and people who humble themselves and acknowledge that they can't be good enough to earn God's favor.

Luke 18:9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

The Pharisee thought he was a good person and better than everyone else and thought that God would be impressed with His supposed righteousness. But, he did not acknowledge that he was a sinner just like those who he thought were inferior to him.

The tax collector, on the other hand, did not think he was better than anyone and could not even look up to heaven. He humbly acknowledged that he was a sinner and asked God for mercy. That is what God is looking for from us. He's not looking to be impressed by our supposed righteousness. That's impossible. He wants us to humble ourselves rather than exalt ourselves.

Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. 3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. 4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
 
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Joni Steele

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No, I'm not a good person. None of us are good. We are all sinners.

Christianity is all about Christ Himself. From our standpoint, it's not about us being good, it's about us humbling ourselves and acknowledging to God that we are not good and can't save ourselves and need His mercy and forgiveness.

I believe the following parable illustrates the contrast between people who exalt themselves and think they can be good enough to earn God's favor and people who humble themselves and acknowledge that they can't be good enough to earn God's favor.

Luke 18:9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

The Pharisee thought he was a good person and better than everyone else and thought that God would be impressed with His supposed righteousness. But, he did not acknowledge that he was a sinner just like those who he thought were inferior to him.

The tax collector, on the other hand, did not think he was better than anyone and could not even look up to heaven. He humbly acknowledged that he was a sinner and asked God for mercy. That is what God is looking for from us. He's not looking to be impressed by our supposed righteousness. That's impossible. He wants us to humble ourselves rather than exalt ourselves.

Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. 3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. 4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
Amen and amen!
 
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mlepfitjw

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You all have had some eye opening comments, here and it seems that it's not about being good rather than, serving God, and the Lord Jesus Christ through our faith in humbling ourselves to what the Lord Jesus Christ had done for all of the world.

The fact of him living here on earth we have an example, we see through scripture, that feeds the spirit within us that causes us to inherently through faith become transformed that allows a change inside of heart.

That transformation causes us to have the spirit that allows for us to love others, but that good that people see must be a light that shines through the spirit which people can see.

The good comes from God. Christianity is about the Lord Jesus Christ.

What we do is just choices that can reflect what is perceived by us as humans that can be good or bad, and we are all accountable individually for actions in life we make.

Especially when it comes to your faith that you have towards God.
 
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