Many believe that as long as someone is a “good” person, then that individual will go to heaven. But how do we define “good”? The Scriptures say that “there is none who does good” (Romans 3:12). Jesus said, “No one is good except God alone” (Luke 18:19).
When we talk about “good” people, we are using a man-made definition. If people think an individual is a “good” person, they classify them in that way. Does having this designation mean that a particular person will be saved? Unfortunately not.
In this article, we will notice a few examples in the New Testament of “good” people who still needed to be saved. Then we will notice why simply being “good” alone will not save anyone.
Examples of “Good” People Who Were Not Saved
Cornelius – “Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually” (Acts 10:1-2). Anyone reading that description would undoubtedly classify Cornelius as a “good” person. However, he was told to send for Peter (Acts 10:5) in order to hear a message from him (Acts 10:22). Peter recognized that God is willing to welcome anyone to Him (Acts 10:34-35). But Cornelius still needed to believe (Acts 10:43) and be baptized (Acts 10:48).
Lydia – “And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.’ And she prevailed upon us” (Acts 16:13-15). Lydia was a worshiper of God, yet she needed to hear the gospel taught by Paul (Acts 16:14). After hearing this message, she was baptized (Acts 16:15).
Apollos – “Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ” (Acts 18:24-28). This man was very knowledgable of God’s word. Yet he needed Priscilla and Aquila to explain to him “the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26). Despite his knowledge of the Scriptures, he only knew of the baptism of John (Acts 18:25). Others in this position needed to be baptized in the name of Christ (Acts 19:3-5). The implication is that Apollos needed to do the same thing.*
Paul – “Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, ‘Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day’” (Acts 23:1). He had a good conscience, even though he persecuted the church (Acts 22:3-6). Paul explained how the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 22:6-10) and told him to go to the city where he would be told what to do. After he arrived, Ananias came to him and told him, “Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name” (Acts 22:16).
These examples show us that someone can be recognized as a good person, be a worshiper of God, be knowledgeable of the Scriptures, and have a good conscience and still not be saved. Despite these positive characteristics, each one of these individuals still needed to be saved.
Why Simply Being “Good” Will Not Save Anyone
Again, we are using a human standard when we identify anyone as “good” (cf. Luke 18:19). The standard of judgment on the last day is not what we think (or what anyone else thinks); instead, we will be judged by Jesus’ words (John 12:48).
The reason why no one is “good” is because we have all sinned. Notice what Paul wrote:
“What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, ‘There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.’” (Romans 3:9-12).
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
He wrote later in his letter to the Romans that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). He told the Galatians that we are “shut up…under sin” (Galatians 3:22). In that condition, we have no hope. Even if one is a “good” person, worships God, knows the Bible, and has a good conscience, they still need to be forgiven of sins.
Salvation is only found IN Christ. Peter said, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Forgiveness is only IN Him, as Paul told the brethren in Ephesus: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. […] In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:3-4, 7).
This begs the question: How does one get IN Christ? Notice Paul’s answer:
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27).
“Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4).
Beginning on the day of Pentecost, believers were told to be baptized in order to be forgiven. Peter said on that day, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). This was in accordance with the Commission given by Jesus: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16). This is what the converts did in our examples. It is also what all “good” people must do today in order to have their sins washed away.
Conclusion
Jesus died on the cross so that anyone could be saved. Yet merely being a “good” person is not enough. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Because of our sins, we deserve death (Romans 6:23). Forgiveness is only found in Christ; yet to be in Christ, we must believe and be baptized to have our sins washed away.
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*For more on this point, see the article, Lessons from the Conversion of Apollos
