Would You Rather be a Good or Righteous Christian?
Thoughts on Goodness vs. Righteousness – Part I
Is Righteousness Alone Enough?
In this post, I’m beginning a new series—Thoughts on Goodness vs. Righteousness—and will be laying the foundation for our understanding of both. The title of the post may suggest that you have to be one or the other—or that it’s a dichotomy. But neither is true. You need both.
If you’ve ever heard the expression “fire and brimstone” used to describe a pastor, a congregation, or a believer by others, it often stems from Christians who overemphasize righteousness while neglecting—or failing to practice—goodness.
This happens when we see non-believers only as sinful people—unworthy of our company or affection. We won’t or can’t relate to them. We won’t go to their homes, hang out with them, or attend their “harmless” parties.
The Bible certainly tells us that there is wisdom in not joining non-believers to do sinful things, but it also says:
“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.”
— 1 Corinthians 5:9–10
Paul is saying there’s nothing wrong with spending time with non-believers in neutral environments—as long as you don’t participate in their sinful activities. Afterall, we go to the same grocery stores, malls, restaurants, movie theaters, schools, workplaces, sports games, and so on. If we didn’t, as Paul says, we’d have to leave the world.
Jesus attended the wedding in Cana of Galilee and visited the homes of Pharisees. He interacted with tax collectors, prostitutes, and Samaritans.
How About Goodness?
On the other hand, there are those who preach and practice only—or mostly—goodness. They are accepting and tolerant of the bad things that non-Christians do. For example, they may even drink alcohol or smoke weed with them or participate in ungodly conversations.
When you do this, you not only compromise your own integrity but, more importantly, the integrity of the gospel.
You cannot claim to be a Christian when there’s no difference between how you live and how they live. Why would they want to be saved—or even recognize their need to be saved—when you’re just like them? You become like the salt that Jesus says has lost its flavor:
“...no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”
— Matthew 5:13
Jesus was a good person, and He showed it in His interactions with people. He didn’t reject anyone because of who they were, but He also didn’t condone their sinful behavior.
He didn’t approve of the stoning of the woman caught in adultery (John 8), but He also didn’t condone her continuing in that lifestyle. He told her:
“...go and sin no more.”
— John 8:11
The Danger of Fake Christians
I see many so-called “celebrities” who profess to be Christians, yet their lives don’t bear it out. I personally despise celebrity culture, and I’m amazed by how many people allow it to shape their life choices and morality. These are often the same people who refuse to obey the Bible but readily follow whatever a celebrity says.
If you consider yourself a Christian but are quick to do—or would rather do—what a celebrity tells you than what the Bible instructs, or what your pastor or a duly anointed preacher or teacher of the Word of God teaches, then you have an idol. You’re walking in idolatry and have set another god before you — Exodus 20:3.
Celebrity “Christians” often do and say things unbecoming of a believer and even encourage others to do the same. Perhaps they think God will give them special treatment, as they’re accustomed to receiving from people, or that He’ll make exceptions for them. He won’t.
It’s like the popular American comedian who claims to be a Christian but, in his best-selling book on relationships, says it’s okay for women to have sex with men they’re not married to after 90 days of dating—if the men prove themselves worthy.
If you follow popular or celebrity culture, you’ll know who I’m talking about. But Scripture is clear: the only relationship where sex is permitted is between two heterosexual married people. This is God’s standard, and it hasn’t changed.
It’s especially damning in God’s eyes to advise people to do wrong while claiming to be a Christian. It’s bad enough to do it yourself, but to teach others that it’s okay is egregious.
Jesus said of the Pharisees:
“You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.”
— Matthew 23:13 (NIV)
What’s the condemnation here? It is that the Pharisees were influential but they used it to lead others astray through their hypocrisy. They preached one thing but did another, giving people false confidence that they were doing right when they were not.
This is also why Apostle James warned:
“...we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
— James 3:1
Anyone who teaches others to disobey God’s laws is in danger of the most severe condemnation. This applies not only to fake Christian celebrities but also to pastors—and to anyone who does the same.
In the next part, I’ll dive deeper into the concept of righteousness versus goodness and show that while both are essential, they serve different purposes. Subscribe to get it as soon as it’s published.