The Moralism Myth: Why Being Good Won’t Save Anyone

“The devil does not need you to become a murderer or a thief to secure your damnation. In fact, he absolutely loves your good works. He rejoices over your philanthropy, your spotless reputation, and your polite religion because he knows that a man who trusts in his own righteousness is entirely blind to his desperate need for a Savior. The tragedy of the moral man is that he builds his own beautiful bridge to heaven only to discover at the final judgment that it leads directly to the abyss.” (Jonathan Edwards)

I have lost count of how many times in street evangelism I have repeatedly heard people recite one of the greatest deceptions of the human heart, the idea that God grades on a curve. Edwards rightly points out that “God is not a cosmic accountant. He is an infinite Holy Judge who demands absolute flawless perfection.” In Edward’s sermon “Too Good For Heaven,” he has communicated the effects of this lie, “church buildings are filled with people who are exhausted from trying to be perfect. The devil knows if people are focused on their own performance, they are not looking to the finished work of the Son of God.” In essence, “the devil is absolutely thrilled with morality.”

This lie has infiltrated society and even some churches. I will demonstrate this truth by sharing real-life evangelism encounters that I have had, first examining “professors” within the church and then turning outward to the streets. First, if you ever walk into a church and you hear “Oh, we will never call anyone a sinner.” Respond like Carter Conlon’s sermon title which he preached right after 9/11, “Run For Your Life!” I am confident to say the gospel is not being preached at a church where they are uncomfortable using the word sin. 

Case In Point #1: I engaged four teenage girls with the gospel in a suburban community. Words can not express the sorrow I felt when they responded “We are almost done with our catechism classes, and we have never heard this message you are sharing. You must be lying.”

We Have Altered The Gospel

J.I. Packer in his book “Knowing God” states that one of our basic problems is that we believe we are not helpless. “Today’s Modern ‘Bible,’ Dale Carnegie’s ‘How To Win Friends And Influence People’ has convinced modern men and women that we can repair our own relationship with God by putting God in a position where He cannot say no anymore. We are not fallen creatures, guilty, unclean in God’s sight… God’s condemnation never enters our heads. Due to our scientific achievements, this has led us to foster a high opinion of ourselves. (Side note: This isn’t really anything new considering man was very determined to build the Tower of Babel. And thankfully, God intervened.) Modern man also views material wealth as more important than moral character.”

One of the most hated biblical doctrines is total depravity also known by the slightly less offensive name total inability. John MacArthur’s book “Slave” would also receive many thumbs down because he does not sugarcoat this truth, “sin corrupts the entire person like cancer, infecting the soul, polluting the mind, defiling the conscience, contaminating the affections, and poisoning the will. Unbelievers are not just infected by sin; they are enslaved by it.” (John 8:34) Spiritual life is only given by the Spirit of God. “All sinners are completely unable to change their fallen nature or to rescue themselves from sin and divine judgment. They can neither initiate nor accomplish any aspect of their redemption.” And why would they, 2 Timothy 3:2-4 teaches that unbelievers whole-heartedly love their sin. 

Case In Point #2: When I shared the law and gospel in a public school Bible Club (many observers were not a fan), I asked the children, “Did you ever tell a lie? How many lies have you told in your life?” one boy jumped up with much excitement and exclaimed “I tell lies all the time.” I appreciated his honesty.

Outside The Camp

Case In Point #3: One of my most heartbreaking evangelism encounters was when I shared the gospel with a homeless, middle-aged woman. Other women and I served the Lord by providing for some of her physical needs. In casual conversation, we learned more about her and some details of her life. She immediately told me that she knew God and was a Christian because she was baptized and went through catechism classes a long time ago. After giving her a Bible, I shared the Law and Gospel walking her through the Ten Commandments. When I asked, “did you ever tell a lie?” I was met with much anger, the woman yelled “I have never told a lie!” I continued to share about Jesus, the Savior, with her and how Jesus was the only person without sin. She insisted “I know God and I am fine.” Her anger especially rose when I shared what God says in James 2:10 “whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” Unfortunately, her response to the law is common. I do not share this with delight, but God showed me that day that there was no heart change, no rebirth. The Lord humbly reminded me that I was like that woman prior to my conversion. I also believed I kept the Commandments; the only difference was I did not attend catechism classes.

Jim McClarity in his book “By Grace Alone,” states “the natural man has no faith in God whatsoever. God must first perform a miraculous act of change. Fallen nature must be converted to an eternal, spiritual nature. Left to ourselves, an individual is incapable of changing or even recognizing His condition.” In his chapter, “But We Do Nice Things” he states that people will nearly universally resort to “the comparison game of “I am not Hitler” or “Mother Theresa is definitely in heaven” as a measuring rod of sin and faith.”

Case In Point #4: I engaged a man in a public park by asking him “how does one get to heaven?” His response was, “Lady, you are out here sharing Jesus which is proof you are going to heaven.” I proceeded with the law “Have you ever lied? Disobeyed your parents? Stolen something?” which did humble the man and I was able to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with him. What this man lacked was an understanding that “the righteousness of faith isn’t the moral excellence of faith. Our new life is found by fixing our eyes on Jesus.” (Charles Spurgeon, Hebrews 12:2)

An evangelist needs to use the law and pray that the Holy Spirit will awaken a person’s conscience. Only then will the gospel make sense. Compared to Christ, His perfect obedience and willing sacrifice, we all fall woefully short, e.g., Romans 3:10 says “there is none righteous, not even one” and Ecclesiastes 7:20 “there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good or who never sins.” In my life before Christ, I said, “I know God” and I would not have labeled myself as ungodly. But I admit that I did not have a relationship with Jesus. Spurgeon’s definition of “ungodly” matched my life as “one who has lived without God, who has lived the reverse of godly, and would be pleased to prove to themselves with certainty that God doesn’t exist.”

Why Are We Saved By Faith Alone?

First, we have a sin debt. There is a strong allure to grounding our faith and hope in moral achievements, but Edwards states the clear reality of what we are doing, “you are attempting to pay off a trillion-dollar debt with a handful of counterfeit pennies. We are all bankrupt before the cross of Christ.”

Spurgeon did not fear man and said, “it is foolish to attempt to touch up your flaws and to try to make yourself appear to be something other than what you really are.” Why? “Because the salvation of God is for those who don’t deserve it and have no way to make themselves ready or good enough for it.”

Case In Point #5: Another woman and I approached five Afghan Muslim men lounging on an oriental rug in a park. I truly believe this evangelism encounter was only possible because of the Holy Spirit. I was terrified, in all honesty, but the men welcomed us in conversation for about thirty minutes. The men kept the conversation focused on their rejection of the Trinity and their belief that works are needed to get to heaven. The sad reality of what we learned from the men was that their god is unknowable now and even in Paradise, and that they live in continual uncertainty of their fate after they die, as they put it “then Allah, will bring out the scale to measure their good and bad deeds.” Thankfully, we were able to share the biblical gospel with them. I believe Paul Washer’s quote regarding repentance captures the bulk of this evangelism discussion “The Puritans spoke a lot about repentance not only from sin but repentance from good works, which is when you give up from trying to justify yourself, you just quit. You then see every one of your most righteous deeds and detest them. You throw them to the floor, and you stand there before God and say unless you move on my behalf, I am damned.”

What the Muslim men needed to know is found in the Bible and what Packer emphasizes “God is not true to Himself unless He punishes sin. And unless one knows and feels the truth of this fact, that sinners have no hope of anything from God but judgment, then a person will become aware of the state of their soul and their need. Then they will be ready to hear the gospel of grace, (faith and trust alone in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah) which cannot but sweep him off his feet with wonder and joy. For it tells how our Judge has become our Savior.” And Washer faithfully declares “there are only two religions in the world. The religion of grace or the religion of merit. Every other religion in the world is about what somebody does. Christianity is where we fall upon God and His Son Jesus with nothing in our hands.” And John Lennox would agree with Washer but would add “Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ,” but in Islam there is no personal relationship with their god.

The truth is that Jesus knows all men’s hearts, that we must be born again. MacArthur summarizes John 2:23-25, “the new birth must be appropriated by faith. Faith in Jesus is more than mere intellect assent. It includes trust and commitment in receiving a new nature that produces a changed heart and obedience to the Lord.” The Pharisees missed the mark by trusting in their external religious practices to gain entrance into heaven and were reluctant to let go of their works-based religion because they loved the praise of men. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, ruler of the Jews, knew the scriptures but Jesus identified his unbelief and his need to be born again, the regeneration or spiritual transformation only done by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Will You Respond In Faith?

Throughout the Word of God, there is a clarion call from Jesus, from His disciples, and from His prophets to “Repent” which is a deliberate, inward decision that results in an outward turning away from sin and toward God. MacArthur adds “Truth mattered more to Jesus than how people ‘liked’ Him; He was calling people who were willing to bow to Him unconditionally as their Lord.” And in contemporary evangelism, “a gospel that fails to confront individuals with the reality of their sin is no gospel at all.” In Luke 5:32 Jesus says, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” I agree with MacArthur that “Jesus would have failed personal evangelism in almost every Bible College or Seminary. He began by preaching the law to a young man who was a rich ruler.” (See Matthew 19:16-26)

Lastly, I have encountered resistance and misunderstanding regarding using the law in evangelism. The law is a mirror which reveals our sin and our greatest need, so why would we reject or avoid using the law which Jesus Himself used?  To admit our works or strivings are futile is hard, yet I like what Michael Horton shared using the words of an 11^th century monk “If God would overlook their shortcomings, if they tried their best…” then you should tell the person “you have not yet considered how great your sin is.” Ponder this truth and cry out to God in repentance and put your faith and trust alone in His Son Jesus today. Horton beautifully explains what happens next when a person trusts in Jesus, by using the term “alien righteousness,” a person then receives someone else’s righteousness (Jesus), and they truly become a child of God. It is amazing to think that an evil person is now accepted by a Holy and Righteous God whom His Son Jesus atoned for by His blood on the cross and was raised to life and now they are given a new life purpose to serve the Only True God for His glory!

Today, the term “Christian” is widely used and has lost its meaning. (I encourage you to read David Knight’s booklet “What It Means To Be A Christian” to understand why.)

Knight also addressed this vital question in his gospel booklet “What Is Authentic Faith?” Open the Bible and read the following books: John, 1 John and Galatians. You can also read MacArthur’s book “The Gospel According to Jesus” to read what authentic faith is and what it is not. Online, you can visit www.willjesusknowyou.com to take the “good person test” and to have access to solid biblical resources to help you spiritually grow in Christ. Exposit The Word also provides powerful biblical teachings to help renew your mind. Get the training in righteousness you need for active, faithful service to Jesus Christ.