We're Good People, What Sins?

Summary: For God, there are only 2 categories of people - "Righteous" or "Wicked." He does not have in-between impressions of us, like, "nice guy", "not that bad", "churchgoer who helps others", etc.. Hindus are also nice temple-goers who help others! For our God of the Bible, a person is either righteous: "has their sins forgiven", or wicked / evildoer: "sins not forgiven". Note, when our sins are forgiven and we become "righteous", then helping people and other good deeds will automatically follow and will spring from within.

Bible terms:

"Wicked" - refers to the person whose sins have not been forgiven.

"Righteous" - refers to the person whose sins have been forgiven.

So even in extreme cases, you could be the best person on earth, but if your sins are not forgiven, then in the eyes of God you are "wicked".

Or you could be the worst person on earth, but if your sins are forgiven, then in the eyes of God you are "righteous".

The above statements are from many verses in the Bible. Examples:

"Wicked" example:

Psalm 10:4

In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek Him.

Does not seek God = sins not forgiven = wicked

"Righteous" example:

Matthew 5:20 Jesus: "For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

The Jewish scribes and Pharisees were the role models in perfection and living sinless all their lives. But Jesus told them it's not good enough!! He said we need to exceed that level of sinless perfection! How do we achieve that? We do, by having our sins forgiven through the daily praying of the Lord's Prayer.

Isaiah 55:8-9

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.

We're All Sinners and in Need of a Redemption Plan to Reconcile with God

You may ask, "but if one is the best person on earth, how can he also be a sinner?" Being the best person on earth doesn't automatically mean the best person in the eyes of God. There are sins that became accepted in today's cultures, but are offensive to God. And there are inner sins that only God sees.

Matthew 5:28

Jesus: But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

1 John 1:8-10

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

James 2:10

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Since before the foundations of the world, the main objective of God has always been to provide a redemption solution for our sins. This was the reason for the Jewish and Christian religions (old-testament and new-testament)!

It is all about the forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins is the main pillar of our Christian faith. It was the only reason for Jesus' miserable suffering and death on the cross. Without it there is no relationship with God.

It is very clear throughout the scripture that God’s main focus was always on providing a solution for sins. Because it is the only way to reconcile us to Him; without it we're all doomed to hell. He knew this since before creation, then devised His plan and executed it perfectly throughout history. What was the whole purpose of the Jewish religion and the Mosaic law? Redemption (old covenant). What was the main purpose of the coming of Jesus and dying on the cross? Redemption (new covenant). He chose to do it in two parts over time like this; we may not have all the answers as to why, but we trust His infinite wisdom.

Many Christians today are thinking, we’re good people, never hurt anyone, keeping to ourselves… what sins do we need forgiven? But the reality is, we all start sinning the moment we wake up in the morning. The brain takes us in all kinds of directions:

Mark 7:21-23

For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Matthew 5:28

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Notes: In today's world, movies, TV shows, social media, are all filled with images causing people to sin. All sexual immorality is sin. Just because the world made it norm, doesn't mean God accepted it!

The Bible says we are sinners by nature, ever since the fall of Adam and Eve. So Christians and non-Christians, all sin. But for true-Christians, as long as they genuinely repent, always seek God in the Bible, and pray the Lord's Prayer daily to receive the Bread of life for forgiveness (Matthew 6:9-13, Luke11:2-4), they remain in Jesus, and Jesus remains in them. And those Christians remain belonging to Jesus:

John 15:4

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

But if a person keeps on sinning without praying the Lord's Prayer, eventually God gives up on her/him. This person would become spiritually dead, equivalent to atheists and the likes. Then this person becomes "wicked" in the eyes of God.

Isaiah 57:21

“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

Today's world is full of unbelievers, sadly including so called "christians" / churchgoers, who's sins have not been forgiven, called "wicked" by God. And therefore, no peace on earth. And getting worse as time goes by and more and more are staying in churches with evil theologies, or leaving churches and becoming atheists. The Bible says it will continue in this direction until the "abomination of desolation" happens. This term is mentioned in many places in the Bible; it is related to the anti-Christ. See my link on End Times.

We're Good People, What Sins?

We're All Sinners and in Need of a Redemption Plan to Reconcile with God

Other Readings