Understanding True Christianity: More Than Just Good Works

Many people have misunderstood what it means to be a Christian. Some assume being a Christian is to live the best way that you can, so that the good you’ve done is greater than the bad. Sometimes this is equated with being “religious”. Paul’s letter to the Romans reveals that in fact the belief that your good works can outweigh your bad is actually what it means to be religious, but it is not what it means to be a Christian. In Romans chapter 2, Paul directed his words to the religious Jews who were part of the young Roman church. They believed the way to God was by following the law of Moses (being religious) and being circumcised as the sign of following the Mosaic law. These religious Jews had the same view as many do today. If our morality outweighs our immorality, then we will be acceptable to God. Paul revealed that no one can please God in this manner, because they just become hypocrites, as Paul revealed the religious Jews were in Rome. They taught others not to steal, but in some ways they stole. They taught others not to commit adultery, but desired what others had. They taught others not to rob temples, but dishonored God. Paul’s description of the religious Jews is the same plight of anyone who seeks to use their morality as the basis for becoming pleasing to God. Paul’s point? Everyone fails. Something else is necessary. They need a change of heart, that only God can effect through faith in Jesus’ offer of forgiveness. Paul referred to this as having a circumcised heart, whether one was circumcised in the flesh or not.

So it doesn’t matter what your ethnicity is, what your theology is, what church you frequent. What matters is whether you’ve trusted Jesus to forgive you and allowed him to transform your heart. This is why Jesus warns us not to judge another’s heart. While we can determine whether a behavior is right or wrong, we are utterly incapable of discerning another person’s heart. Only God can do that. We live in a world that is very confused about God and Jesus, but the bigger question is are we confused about them too?