Why Must I Be Saved? When Being a Good Person Isn’t Enough
Why Must I Be Saved?
It’s a question many quietly ask: “If I’m a good person, why do I need saving?”
After all, most of us try to do right. We are kind, honest, and helpful. We avoid hurting others. We follow the rules. I’ve thought the same. But Scripture tells us that goodness alone isn’t enough. God’s standard is higher, and our best efforts cannot replace obedience to Him.
Are We Really Good?
Ask anyone if they’re good, and the likely answer is yes. Why? Maybe:
“I treat people with respect.”
“I help those in need.”
“I try not to hurt anyone.”
“I do my best.”
These may look good to the world, but the Bible shows a deeper truth: apart from God, we cannot meet His perfect standard.
Why We Drifted From God
I myself have often tried to do the same, reshaping God to fit my preferences. I wanted my thoughts to be His thoughts, my way to be His way, and my understanding to be enough. But the truth is, God is not ours to mold. He is holy, perfect, and entirely other.
In Acts 17:19–31, the apostle Paul explains that God created us to seek Him, yet humanity consistently moved away from the true and living God. Scripture shows why this happened:
1. We did not sincerely seek Him.
God was near, but we did not truly look for Him with hearts willing to submit. (Acts 17:27; Jeremiah 29:13)
Others pursue spiritual “tips” online or seek blessings for personal gain without wanting to align their lives with God’s will.
2. We wanted to determine truth for ourselves.
Rather than honoring God as Creator, we preferred to elevate our own understanding. (Genesis 3:5; Romans 1:25)
3. We did not want to worship God as He is.
Instead of honoring Him rightly, we reshaped Him into something more acceptable to us. (Romans 1:21–23; Exodus 20:3–4)
4. We believed ourselves to be wiser than we truly were.
Scripture says that while claiming wisdom, we became foolish in our thinking. (Romans 1:22; Proverbs 3:7)
5. We exchanged the truth of God for substitutes.
We replaced the living God with created things, ideas, and images. (Romans 1:23–25; Isaiah 44:9–20)
Even so, God did not abandon us. Scripture shows that despite our rejection, God continued to provide. Every breath, every meal, every day is evidence of His patience and kindness toward a people who wandered from Him. (Acts 17:25; Matthew 5:45)
This reality brings us to a sobering question: if humanity so consistently drifts from God, reshapes Him, and exchanges His truth for substitutes, then what does that say about our own goodness? In the next section, we will answer why we are not really good and highlight the perfect goodness of God in contrast.
Why We Are Not Really Good
Before we look at specific attributes of God, it’s important to recognize the natural contrast between the Creator and the created. God is eternal, infinite, and perfectly holy. He is the source of all life, knowledge, and power. We, on the other hand, are finite, limited, and dependent. Our understanding is partial, our strength is temporary, and our perspective is clouded by our desires and sin. This gap between God and humanity sets the stage for why, no matter our best efforts, we cannot measure up to His standard.
Scripture shows us who God truly is, revealing attributes that highlight His perfection:
1. Holiness
God is completely set apart, pure, and without moral imperfection. (Isaiah 6:3; 1 Peter 1:16)
Practical example: While we often mix good and bad in our daily choices, God’s nature is entirely pure. There is no corruption, compromise, or inconsistency in Him.
2. Righteousness / Sinless
God always does what is right; He cannot sin. (Psalm 145:17; 2 Samuel 22:31)
Practical example: Even when human systems fail or we make poor choices, God’s decisions are perfectly just. Our attempts at fairness are limited and often biased by pride or self-interest.
3. Love / Loving-kindness
God’s actions toward us are always motivated by perfect love. (1 John 4:8; Romans 5:8)
Practical example: While we love imperfectly, often conditional or self-serving, God’s love is unconditional, patient, and sacrificial, even when we fail Him.
4. Omniscience
God knows everything, including our thoughts, motives, and future. (Psalm 139:1–4; Hebrews 4:13)
Practical example: We can hide our intentions from others, or even from ourselves, but God sees and understands every choice, every hesitation, and every hidden desire.
5. Justice
God acts with fairness and punishes sin perfectly. (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 89:14)
Practical example: We may overlook wrongs or fail to hold ourselves accountable, but God’s justice is flawless. He will right every wrong and punish every sin.
6. Eternal / Unchanging
God is outside time and does not change in nature or promises. (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8)
Practical example: Our goals, values, and understanding shift with circumstances. God’s character and His standards remain the same yesterday, today, and forever.
7. Sovereignty / All-powerful
God has complete authority over all creation. (Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:9–10)
Practical example: While we struggle with control over our lives or the world around us, God’s authority is absolute. Nothing escapes His power or will.
In contrast, humanity is limited in every way. Our power, understanding, and perspective are finite. Even our best intentions are tainted by sin. Our flesh leads us to selfishness, pride, and error. We fail in thought, word, and deed. We make promises we cannot keep, love imperfectly, and seek our own gain above God’s will. Scripture makes it clear: apart from God’s intervention, we cannot attain true goodness. (Romans 3:10-12; Isaiah 64:6)
Even when Adam and Eve were without sin, they still could not measure up to God on their own. They were created by Him and fully dependent on His guidance. Their goodness was not something they earned, it was a gift from God. Their failure to remain completely obedient shows that even the best of humanity cannot meet God’s standard without His help. This shows why we need His grace and the salvation only Jesus can provide.
Our Accountability and Need for Grace
God holds all of us accountable for our ungodliness and unrighteousness. Because of Adam’s sin, this is the state of humanity today. We deserve the death that sin brings because lets face it, we sin. Maybe you don’t see yourself that way, but the truth is no one is flawless or good enough in God’s eyes. God is holy, without sin, and perfect. He will judge the world at the end of the age according to His standards, not ours.
Scripture says it clearly:
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)
Even the most morally "good" person still cannot measure up. The Bible says:
There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:10-12)
Sin is so deep in our nature that even our thoughts are unclean. You might not commit adultery, but maybe you have thought about it. Maybe you haven’t killed anyone, but you have hated someone. The prophet Isaiah understood how tainted our best efforts are:
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)
None of us can earn our way to God. Our deeds, our intentions, even our so-called “goodness” cannot replace obedience to Him. God’s perfect justice and holiness demand that sin be punished. Left to ourselves, we are lost.
The Hope of Salvation
God, in His mercy, provided a way to rescue us. Through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, He offers cleansing, forgiveness, and righteousness we cannot achieve on our own. Salvation is not about being good enough, it’s about receiving His grace.
Hi, I’m Dana, the voice behind Exhortations for Today. I’m a grandmother called Nonna, a home cook, and an aspiring quilter. I believe in the power of God’s Word to recharge and renew the weary soul. Here, I share devotionals, Bible study tips, and reflections on living a faith-filled life. Want to learn more about my journey? Read more about me here.
