Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Can You Be Good Without God?

Are people born good, or is it something we learn? Are we ever really good? In the Bible God says only He is good. So, can we be ‘good’ at all?

On our own? No. We cannot be good. I hear you ask “But what about all those people who give millions of dollars to the poor? Or, what about the people who give their lives for ours in war? The question is not “Aren’t they doing good?” but, “For what reason are these people doing good?” Superficially, it may look as though they are acting out of the love in their hearts. Maybe they are. Unfortunately, some people do ‘good’ because they want people to praise them. They want to be a hero in human eyes. They want to be recognized. It is true that doing good can make you feel happy. Why does doing good make you feel happy? Because it’s right. Why? Because God made us in His image, and God is good and righteous.

If we were made in God’s image, and we are supposed to be good and righteous, why do we do bad? Good question, simple answer. Free will. God has free will, so when He made us He gave us free will. Regrettably, our first humans, Adam and Eve, gave into temptation and, using free will, they chose to disobey God. The first sin. What they did has effected all of the human race. So, now we are born into sin. Yes, the babies that are born are innocent but they aren’t good. They are born into a sinful world by sinful parents. You could say that sin is in our blood. It’s in our genes. That’s why we cannot be good. Only God.

In our humanness, goodness is impossible. But with God goodness is possible. In the Bible, in Ephesians 2:8-10 it says, “For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God—not by works, so that no one may boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We were created to do “good works” in Christ. We weren’t made to do good works for ourselves, but for God and in God. Notice that the scripture also says God has already planned the good works for us to do? He has planned them, but it’s our choice to whether or not we want to follow what God has planned for our lives. Because we are born in sin, our pride wants us to do things our way, by ourselves, for our own praise. That leaves us not following God’s plan. We have to set aside our pride and selfishness, which we can only overcome with Christ, and push to follow God.


True goodness done by humans is possible. It is possible because God has allowed it to be possible with Him. Only Him. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13.



By Amariah Corowa

This is an argument that I created.
What do think? If you do no agree with me, tell me why. Or if you think you could add something, what would it be?
:)





4 comments:

  1. That is one of the best texts that I have read in a LONG time! give you'r self a BIG pat on the back. :) :D you should be happy with what you have written. I agree with everything that you have written, and I can't think of anything to add to it. If you wanted to be really fussy you could research it even further and write an even deeper version, but I don't think you need to do that! Like I said before it is VERY well written. God has given you some beautiful gifts Amariah. :) ♥♥♥ Tinyde

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    1. thankyou so very much. God helps you to tell the truth. :)

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  2. Very good and well-written :) especially like your part on how sinful people and non-Christians do good things for many different reasons :)

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