It's cringeworthy to hear Christians say, "BUT, I'm a good person!" in defense of themselves, as this is not a proper godly attitude, but a legalistic one; fraught with spiritual confusion and based in self-righteousness (good works done solely for the purpose of feeling good about one's self, not for the glory of GOD). This is likened to the message Jesus delivered to the Laodicean church. They kept busy with church work and other works of the flesh; thinking themselves rich in goodness, but Jesus informs them of their unveiled poverty----

Revelation 3:14-17--

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—"

Moreover, there are verses from other Books that parallel this principle. God's Word is clear, no one can be "good" without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit! ---

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23)

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8)

"The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)

"For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." (Galatians 5:17)

We are not permitted into Heaven because we are "good people." We enter in ONLY when we give that title to the One Who IS GOOD, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We are made good by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; it's not in and of ourselves that we are good and this kind of thinking is actually quite dangerous, because it minimizes God's Power, as it takes credit for the self, which stems from natural human pride, which if left unchecked, could even send a potentially saved soul to hell.

*****IF WE COULD SAVE OURSELVES, WHAT DO WE NEED JESUS FOR and WHY DID HE HAVE TO DIE?!

Among other things, this kind of deceptive thinking leads to becoming like the Laodicean church; the one that prompted Jesus to respond: "I'll vomit you out of my mouth."

               --GOD'S GOODNESS--INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT--

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

"But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:9-11)

"But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him." (1John 2:27)

For without the indwelling of God's Spirit, all of our good deeds are like filthy rags: Isaiah 64:6--

"But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away."

NKJV

CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE WITH A GREAT INFORMATIVE VIDEO!

https://linzybruno.substack.com/p/good-people

Linzy is a certified Bible Counsellor, with countless republications on her viewers blogs, Bible Studies, Ezines and the like. Her portfolio includes, non-fiction articles, short stories for all ages, and Christian poetry.