SoftalkWithPhil

Happy Sunday my lovies.

This one might feel a little evangelistic, but heyyy, I am still figuring out my gifts. Right now, I can only write from what I know, what I have lived through, and what God has graciously revealed to me. I am not perfect. As a matter of fact, no one truly is, and I think that is exactly why this conversation matters.

For years, I genuinely thought being a good person was enough. Enough for what, you ask? To get into the Kingdom of God, of course.

Before some of y’all start acting shocked, I have spoken to so many people who believe the exact same thing. Truthfully, I cannot even blame them because I used to think the same way. It saddens my heart because many people stop there. They believe being a decent human being is the finish line and never take the additional steps toward Christ.

The question is, what actually makes a person good? I love that question because Jesus Himself addressed it.

In Mark 10, a rich young ruler approached Jesus and said, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Now pay attention to Jesus’ response because it is easy to read right past it.

Jesus replied, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God.”

That verse sat me down because if Jesus, who was literally sinless, chose to redirect the conversation back to God, what does that say about our own definitions of goodness?

We have created categories for ourselves.

“I don’t steal.” “I don’t murder.” “I don’t cheat.” “I don’t hurt people.”

Don’t get me wrong, those things matter. The Ten Commandments matter. Obedience matters, but have you ever noticed how easy it is to focus on the commandments people can see with the naked eye?

The visible sins. The obvious ones. The ones that can get you arrested. The ones people talk about. Meanwhile, Jesus constantly addressed the things hidden in the heart.

Pride. Greed. Jealousy. Unforgiveness. Bitterness. Self-righteousness.

That is exactly what happened with the rich young ruler. By all appearances, he was a good man. He obeyed the commandments. He was moral. He was disciplined. He was respected.

Now, let us define a word quickly.

Morality simply means having principles about what is right and wrong. Most people have some form of morality. Most people know they should not steal, lie, murder, or intentionally hurt others.

Morality is not the same thing as salvation.

Salvation is being saved from sin through faith in Jesus Christ and being reconciled back to God. It is not something we earn. It is something we receive through God’s grace.

The rich young ruler had morality. What he lacked was surrender. When Jesus told him to sell his possessions and give to the poor, he walked away sorrowful because his wealth had become an idol. Suddenly, the issue was no longer what everybody could see. It was what was sitting on the throne of his heart. And honestly? I think that is where many of us struggle.

We like the version of Christianity where we can check boxes like “I went to church,” “I helped somebody, ” and ” I didn’t do anything terrible this week.” I am a nice person.

Surely that counts for something, and it does, but being nice and being saved are not the same thing. As a matter of fact, being nice and being kind are not even the same thing. I know that sounds strange, so let me explain.

A nice person is often pleasant when circumstances allow it. A kind person chooses love even when it costs them something. Nice is easy when everybody is treating you well. Kindness is loving people who get on your last nerve. Kindness is praying for people who hurt you. Kindness is choosing grace when you would rather choose revenge.

That is why Jesus told us to love our enemies. Not because it is easy. Not because it feels good, but because it reflects the character of God, and if God asks us to do it, then it is possible through Him.

Before anybody thinks I have mastered this lesson, let me stop you right there. I have not. There are days when kindness comes naturally, and there are days when I have to pray before responding because my flesh has other plans. I am being soooo reallll!!

The difference is that the closer I get to God, the more He transforms my heart. Certain things that felt impossible before have become easier because His Spirit is working on me. That is why Christianity is not behavior modification. It is heart transformation.

Another thing I used to believe was that church attendance automatically made somebody a good Christian. Now hear me carefully because church is important. Community is important. Fellowship is important. Hebrews 10:25 even encourages believers not to forsake gathering together. But attending church does not automatically make someone righteous.

I have seen people attend every service and still condemn everybody around them. I have seen people quote scripture and still lack love. I have seen people sit in a sanctuary while their hearts remain far from God. If I am being honest, I have had to check myself, too. Simply because it is very easy to start measuring your spirituality by attendance rather than intimacy.

The truth is, God is not limited to a building. I have felt His presence in my room. In my car. While walking outside. In the middle of an ordinary day. The Lord can meet you anywhere. At the same time, something beautiful happens when believers gather together.

I remember when I first got baptized, I told myself I would probably attend church two Sundays a month. I was thinking about money. I was thinking about responsibilities. I was thinking about everything I had to do.

Now? Unless something genuinely prevents me, I am there every Sunday. Not because I think attendance earns me points with God. Not because I think I am better than anybody else, but because I genuinely love being there.

I love worship. I love learning. I love my church family. I love being surrounded by people pursuing God. The desire came naturally as my relationship with Him grew.

I remember inviting a friend to church once, and they told me, “Church anu my thing.” If I am being honest, it rubbed me the wrong way at first.

But God quickly reminded me of something. Not everybody has had the same experiences. Some people have been hurt. Some people have been judged. Some people have encountered religion without ever encountering Jesus. Now hear me carefully because hurt is not an excuse to stay away from God forever. But condemnation was not going to help that person either.

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 that without love, all our gifts, knowledge, and words amount to nothing. NOTHING!! That means all the truth in the world delivered without love misses the point.

That brings me to surrender.

Actually, surrendering to Christ is where things get real. You hear Christians say things like “pick up your cross daily,” and if you are not familiar with church language, it honestly sounds like foolishness.

The funny thing is, the Bible acknowledges that. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:18 that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. Of course, it sounds strange from the outside. So what does picking up your cross actually mean?

Simply put, it means choosing God’s way over your own every single day. It means dying to the version of yourself that wants complete control.

It means surrendering your pride. Your desires. Your plans. Your habits. Your excuses. Your idols and choosing Christ instead. Not once. DAILY.

Some days that looks like forgiving somebody. Some days it looks like walking away from sin. Some days it looks like trusting God when you do not understand what He is doing. Some days it simply looks like obedience. Honestly? That is where I realized being a good person was never enough.

Because Christianity is not about being good. It is about being made righteous through Christ.

Righteousness means being in right standing with God. Not because we earned it, but because Jesus paid the price for us.

That is why Ephesians 2:8-9 says:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Not by being nice. Not by church attendance. Not by being better than the next person. By grace. Through faith. There is something incredibly freeing about that because if getting into Heaven depended on my ability to be perfect, I would’ve failed a long time ago.

These days I still have a lot to learn. I am still growing. Still being corrected. Still being refined, but one thing I know for sure is this: Being a good person may impress people.

Being a surrendered person pleases God, and trust me, there is a difference.

God’s girl,

Phil