Text: Romans 3:9-12, 23
Many believe that all “good” people will be saved. Yet just because someone is “good” does not mean that he/she will be saved. In our lesson, we are going to look at a few examples of “good” people who still needed to be saved. Then we will notice the reason WHY simply being “good” by itself will not save anyone.
Examples of Good People Who Were Not Saved
- Cornelius (Acts 10:1-2) – he was a good person; was told to send for Peter to hear a message from him (Acts 10:5, 22); Peter recognized that God is willing to welcome anyone (Acts 10:34-35); Cornelius needed to believe and be baptized (Acts 10:43, 48)
- Lydia (Acts 16:13-15) – she was a worshiper of God; yet she needed to hear the gospel taught by Paul (Acts 16:14); she was then baptized (Acts 16:15)
- Apollos (Acts 18:24-28) – he was knowledgable of God’s word; yet he needed Priscilla and Aquila to explain to him “the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26); he needed to be baptized in the name of Christ (Acts 18:25; 19:3-5)
- Paul (Acts 23:1) – he had a good conscience; this was despite the fact that he persecuted the church (Acts 22:3-6); the Lord appeared to him and said he would be told what to do in Damascus (Acts 22:6-10); Ananias told him to be baptized to wash away his sins (Acts 22:16)
Why Simply Being “Good” Will Not Save Anyone
- We are using a human standard when we identify anyone as “good” (Luke 18:19) – the standard of judgment is not what WE think; we will be judged by Jesus’ words (John 12:48)
- No one is “good” because we have all sinned (Romans 3:9-12, 23) – the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23); we are “shut up…under sin” (Galatians 3:22) and have no hope
- Even if one is a good person, worships God, knows the Bible, and has a good conscience, he/she still needs to be forgiven of sins
- Salvation is only found IN Christ (Acts 4:12) – forgiveness is only IN Him (Ephesians 1:3-4, 7) – one gets IN Christ through baptism (Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 6:3-4)
- From the day of Pentecost, believers were told to be baptized to be forgiven (Acts 2:37-38) – this was in accordance with the Commission given by Jesus (Mark 16:15-16); this is what the converts did in our examples; it is also what “good” people must do today
Conclusion
- Jesus died on the cross so that anyone could be saved – yet merely being a “good” person is not enough
- All have sinned (Romans 3:23) – because of our sin, we deserve death (Romans 6:23)
- Forgiveness is found in Christ (Ephesians 1:7) – yet to be in Christ, we must believe and be baptized (Galatians 3:26-27)
