Goodness and Godliness Are Not Synonyms

As a person who struggles with depression, I have NO problem accepting the total depravity of man when it comes to myself. In fact some days, I feel like all I see is my depravity. By the time I'm finished with this blog post, you will see my depravity too.

I think most Christians have no trouble accepting their own depravity either. I mean to truly accept the gospel is to begin with the realization that I am corrupt to the core and and can do nothing to change myself. 

However, when it comes to other people, we are quick to sing man's praises. We know we shouldn't sing our own, but we are quick to sing others'. 

Nowhere do I see this more than in social media. I mean absolutely no disrespect in what I'm about to say, but I see this especially when a beloved Christian is either going through trial or reaches the end of his / her life. People talk about what a good person he / she is.

Every time this happens, it sends me into a tail spin. (yep, depravity speaking here). I want to be a good person. I'm not. Why can't I be a better person? Why do I have to struggle so? Why can't other people look at me and see goodness too?

I was walking through my house today struggling with these thoughts, and a still small voice (well it didn't really feel still and small, it felt more like a booming voice) said to me, "Goodness is NOT godliness." 

I have been struck all day by this simple fact. Of course God is good. Of course He molds and sanctifies us into godliness. But I can never be "more good." And when I measure my life against someone else's or even sing man's praises, I'm forgetting the fact that neither can anyone else. 

ALL goodness (*true goodness) comes from the ONE who was good in my place. In your place. In any Christian's place. From a human perspective, there can be a good man who is not godly. Goodness can be manufactured. But godliness cannot. And godliness doesn't come about through some magic choice. It comes about through a realization and a dependence on the one who was GOOD for me. It comes about through obedience to the one who was GOOD for me. Not because of anything I do, but because of what He's done. And therefore, I have as much Godliness as anyone else. No, I may not be in the same place in my walk as they are. However, I have the same salvation, the same God, the same goodness as every elect brother who has trusted in His finished work on the cross. This thought has been tremendously comforting to me today. And in this Holy week and every week, our thoughts should focus on the cross and on the One who was good in my place because I have no goodness of my own. And my actions should also reflect a focus on the One who was good in every other Christian's place because no one has any goodness of his or her own. And I can be truly thankful when God's goodness is reflected in my life and in other believers' lives. Praise HIS goodness!