Not Perfect, but Good Enough?

“I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 19:23-24

 Tim Keller says, “A good way to avoid Jesus is to avoid sin.” If we are good enough, who needs a Savior? If we are good enough, who needs all that messiness of surrender and heart-wrenching confession and repentance?

The Rich Young Ruler approaches Jesus asking what good things he must do to get eternal life? What he’s really asking is what else good must he do? When Jesus lists several of the Top 10, he responds, “I already do all those!”

But for some reason he approached Jesus for help, in spite of his goodness. Does he realize, deep down, that acting good is not good enough? Seems so.

He might as well be saying: “It is hard for a man or woman rich in good deeds to enter the Kingdom. Why would they need to be forgiven? They think they are good!”

There is no good that is good enough. And when we act good to perform, instead of being fueled by love, our performance grades out at a C- at best.