Winning with the Word | MaryAnn Diorio

November 23, 2024

Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, Bible Teacher, Novelist, and Life Coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Saturday, November 23, 2024, and this is episode #23 in Series 2024. This episode is titled, “Are You a Good Person?”

If asked that question, most people today would say “Yes, I am a good person.”

Perhaps you are one of these people. Perhaps you consider yourself a good person because you’ve never killed anyone, nor ever punched anyone in the face, nor ever hurt an animal—or some such reason. Perhaps you would tell me that you’re nice to people or that you let people be who they are.

I would then reply, “Have you ever taken the Good Test?”

What is the Good Test? The Good Test is a powerful test that identifies whether or not you are truly a good person. I’ve posted the link to the test in the show notes at the end of this podcast, and I urge you to take the test.

Here are some of the questions you would be asked on the Good Test:
__Have you ever lied?
__Have you ever stolen anything, no matter how seemingly insignificant, like a paper clip from work?
__Have you ever used God’s name in vain?
__Have you ever lusted sexually or otherwise?

How would you answer these questions? If you’re like the rest of humanity, you would have to answer “yes” to every question. Why? Because these questions reveal God’s definition of “good,” and every one of us has violated that definition.

You see, my friend, God’s standard for good is not the same as man’s standard for good. Man creates his own standard for good based on his personal beliefs. Man makes the standard for good a subjective issue when, in reality, it is not at all subjective. It is objective. The standard for good is absolute and is determined by God and God alone. He alone is good. Therefore, He alone has the right and the ability to set the standard for what is good and what is not good.

So, what is God’s standard for good? We can find His standard for good in the Ten Commandments. If we don’t meet the standard for good found in the Ten Commandments, then God does not consider us good.

And God’s opinion is the only one that matters.

Why? Because when we die, we will face God, and He will determine whether we are good or not. If God determines that a person is not good, that person will go to Hell. But if God determines that a person is good, that person will go to Heaven.

So how can we know what God will determine about us? How can we know if, when we stand before God—and every person will stand before God when he or she dies—how can we know if God will deem us good and bring us to Heaven or deem us not good and send us to Hell?

You may be thinking, “Why would a good God send anyone to hell?”

Great question! Here is the answer. Would a good judge let the guilty go free? Of course not! Only a corrupt judge would let the guilty go free? Since God is a good Judge, He has to punish the guilty. He has to punish sin. He cannot look the other way. And He won’t.

But in addition to being a good Judge, God is also a merciful Judge. Scripture says in 2 Peter 3: 9 that God is not willing for anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance. Because God knew that man could never pay the price for his sin, God chose to pay the price for man. What amazing love! God loved us so much that He chose to become a man himself so that He could take our place in going to the Cross.

You see, my friend, by rights, each one of us should have gone to the Cross ourselves. Each one of us should have been killed for our sin. But not only killed. Each one of us should have gone to Hell for all eternity. But Jesus did all that for us. Why? Because He loved us.

When we look at the Ten Commandments, we realize that it is impossible to keep all of them all the time. In fact, the Ten Commandments were given to us to show us how impossible it is for us to keep them, to meet God’s standard. Even if we have obeyed every one of the commandments but disobeyed only one of them, we are just as guilty as if we had violated all ten commandments. In James 2: 20 we read, “For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.”

So what are we supposed to do? God requires that we keep the Ten Commandments, yet it is impossible for us to keep them. But unless we keep them, we will go to Hell when we die. Talk about a Catch-22 situation!

The Apostle Paul recognized this when he wrote the following in Romans 7: 22-25: “I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Did you hear that? Paul explained that the answer to the dilemma of sin is “in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus Christ is the only one who can set us free from the bondage of sin.

But in order for this to happen, we must repent of our sin. To repent means to acknowledge that you are a sinner and to choose to turn away from sin. Have you acknowledged that you are a sinner, and have you turned away from your sin? Have you received Jesus Christ as your only Savior and Lord? If not, do that right now. Pray this simple prayer with me:

LORD Jesus, I come to You just as I am. I acknowledge that I am a sinner in need of Your mercy and grace. I choose to turn away from my sin, and I invite You into my life to be my Savior and Lord. Thank You, LORD, for saving me. Thank You for healing me. I pray this prayer in Your good and merciful Name. Amen.

If you sincerely prayed this prayer from your heart, you are now a born-again child of God. Write to me at drmaryannn@maryanndiorio.com, and I will send you a free PDF e-booklet titled After You’re Born Again.

In case you are not aware, I write heart-mending fiction that deals with the deepest issues of life. In my stories you will find characters just like you who struggle with what look like impossible problems. Check out my books at my online bookstore at shop.maryanndiorio.com.

Until next time, remember that God loves you just as you are and just where you are, and that He will help you to keep on winning with the Word.

Source cited: https://www.goodtest.net/video