In a recent discussion around faith, a friend of mine made the comment that “I just want to be a good person. That’s all that matters.”

Two questions came immediately to mind: (1) what defines a “good” person, and (2) in whose eyes does this individual want to be one?

Upon further contemplation, I realized that my friend’s position on such questions comprised a single answer: a good person is someone who does things (works) considered good by other people. That is, this individual seemingly desires to be elevated to the status of “good” by his/her peers.

By admission, this is not a person of strong faith. Christians, however, should care little about their status among men. In fact, the Bible tells us repeatedly that we must lower ourselves in the eyes of men to be elevated by God. The humility and obedience sought by the Lord implies that we do not seek to be recognized by other men as “good.” Instead, we are led by the Holy Spirit to love God by loving others.

I’ve also heard it said that a just God wouldn’t deny heaven to “good” people. Again, man’s definition of “good” differs dramatically from that of God. But the Apostle Paul makes it absolutely clear the basis upon which we are granted eternal life in Ephesians 2:8-9, and it is not on being a “good” person:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Let me rephrase this. If we do not have faith in the Lord, it does not matter how many nice things we do for others or how much money we give to just causes. It doesn’t matter how we are seen by other people. It matters ONLY that we have faith in God making us worthy of His grace. THAT is how we get to heaven.

One can have “works” without faith. But works done for the wrong reason are dead works. These are works often intended to make us feel better about ourselves or elevate us in the eyes of our peers. They feed our pride. Or perhaps they are works designed to gain favor with others. Such works are performed by those lacking in faith.

And while one can have works without faith, one cannot have faith without works. “True” faith manifests in good works. What makes them “good” is that they are stirred by the heart – through faithful obedience to the Lord’s command to love thy neighbor. “True” faith demands such action. In his epistle, James wrote:

“Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

James 2:18b

Faith alone is not enough, because “true” faith produces fruit. “True” faith is not just belief because, as James writes in the very next verse:

“Even the demons believe—and tremble!”

James 2:19b

It is benevolent action spawned by love – vertical love of God and horizontal love of our fellow man.

“Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

James 2:17

Wisdom from Above