#7 How should I respond when a friend says, “I’m just trying to do good”?

Jesus says there can be no faith without repentance (Mark 1:15). As witnesses of Jesus the Holy Spirit can use us to help someone see their own need for a Savior by encouraging them to probe their own thoughts more deeply. There’s a reason why they’re saying what they’re saying. In this instance most every word in this sentence hides a longing that can only be satisfied with the truth of the gospel.   

“I’m” – Your friend believes the responsibility for their salvation rests entirely on their shoulders. Ask them how they’re dealing with all the pressure and the uncertainty of never knowing when you've done enough! God has taken the burden of achieving our salvation off our shoulders and put it on Christ!  

“trying to do” – The conscience is always at work! Trying implies that I'm not quite there, haven't yet reached my goal. Their conscience is telling them, “You may have done ever so good, but it wasn’t quite enough!”  Again, ask your friend how “the trying” is going. How refreshing to know that we can give up on trying because Jesus says, “It is finished! It is done!” 

“good” – Ask your friend to define “good”. Who gets to make that distinction—do you, do I, does society? And what is good enough for a holy God? Can a perfect God really accept anything less than perfection? No! (Matt. 5:48) That’s why we need the perfection that God gives us in Christ (2 Cor. 5:19)!