The Difference Between GOOD and FOLLOW 

How does one differentiate between doing good and following Jesus Christ?  At first thought, it can seem that there is no difference. Then as we all learn “intent matters.” There is a difference between following Christ and just being a good person even though we might think them the same.  
 

What we call GOOD 

It is easy to figure out what you want and call it obtaining or doing good. However, it is hard to know the good into which you have not yet matured. God knows, of course, what is truly good which is why knowing God is life that leads to fullness.  We must then always consider our intent in the good we claim to do. 

In the name of GOOD 

The apostle Paul stated that he followed Torah (the Law) blamelessly. Nevertheless, he claimed it was rubbish and that in doing so he considered himself the chief sinner (Philippians 3:8). Without faith in Jesus, he was led to persecute in YHWH’s Name. Paul in ignorance sinned. Yet at the time, thought he was defending God, his country, and his people.  

The fact is there is “so-called good” that is done without faith even by those who claim to represent God. How many in the name of God have destroyed? The reason is that the good they said they were doing wasn’t coupled properly with faith. For example, Jesus reprimands the Pharisees to be wicked in his day. Those He acknowledged adhered to the Torah blamelessly. Those who would strain out a gnat to keep the Law were wicked (Matthew 23:24).  

Why?  

Because they didn’t follow His word but rather the letter of the Law.  

So, to observe the Law one would think to be GOOD, but without faith such a so called “good” is destructive. It seems to me that people tend to do the things that ensure them security and prosperity. The decisions made put personal good above God’s vision for His creation. Even if a decision is based on that which God has told us to do… if it is absent of faith… will inevitably lead to destruction. The reality is when we chase after our own desire and our assurance first, we may think and or feel our decision will make life better. Yet, outside God’s good order there is no rest. 

Scripture teaches us to acknowledge God in all our ways. That is where GOOD shaped by wisdom begins. The fight for our minds is always happening. Again, as Scripture teaches, take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) because in the flesh our thoughts of what is good can be skewed. Our focus must be on God’s business. We must conform our thinking to follow after the Spirit of Christ. 

The fact is we are always trying to choose life, but God alone possesses and knows the way of life. Everyone and everything outside of His order results in death. He alone is perfect and what He requires is genuine GOOD. He leads the way. Just as Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the Father except by Me” (John 14:6).  

It looks GOOD 

Let us ponder the story of Adam and Eve. The Lord told them to steward His garden and to eat from any fruit that grew there. The result in obedience included they would have access to the tree of life, but God stated to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the mist of the garden. They were of course tempted to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve, we are told, saw that the fruit on the tree was “good” for food (Genesis 3:6). 

What’s more, Scripture indicates that knowledge could be gained for living life, bu was forbidden knowledge for their good. Still, she still took the fruit, brought it to Adam and they ate. Their eyes we are told were opened as knowledge was gained (Genesis 3:7). They sought more than God gave and lost the Garden experience. The experience of sin required them to dwell outside the source of life. 

Did you catch that?  

The decision had been good for food and for gaining knowledge, but it kept them from the source of life (Tree of Life). All people we are told fall short of God’s perfect nature (Romans 3:23). Knowledge in itself is not bad, of course, for we need knowledge to live by. But only as we becaome ready for it? Character must come first. There is potential for danger in the mind of someone who is young in understanding. To the immature person, chaos. not order follows and with chaos comes destruction. The tree they ate from is good for wisdom, but wisdom is not something you just reach out and take. 

In the same way, we should never give a child more information than they can comprehend. We start with the basics and build them up as they hopefully grow in character. Knowledge is learned in relationship with and interaction within God’s good creation over time.  

I hope now you are seeing the differentiation between GOOD and FOLLOW. Though it is a simple concept, it is much harder to apply to our lives. I think this is because our feelings, our desires, our hopes, and our dreams get ahead of our learning and trusting in God. This is always so when we leave God out of our choices. 

There is a difference between GOOD and FOLLOW.  The Pharisees only did what they thought was good but did not learn to follow. Paul on the other hand, learned to follow.  He added to his blamelessness. He followed and in so doing became a man of faith.  He was not just a man committed to good, but a man of faith following Christ.   

I am GOOD we say 

Furthermore, confidence in our ability to do good can hinder our focus to follow Jesus. The Apostle Peter is a good example of this when at the last supper he stated he was willing to die with Jesus (Matthew 26:35, Mark 14:31). The Lord stated he would deny Him three times. He believed he would do good. When Satan sifted his soul, he fell short and needed to repent (Luke 22:31). So, whether we disobey due to ignorance or overconfidence… the reality is that only by denying self does our good add up to following Christ. 

God is GOOD 

Christ’s forgiveness is for our sins, but do not forget that forgiveness also requires our self-denial. Instead of taking hold of what we determine will bring about good, we must truly be contrite and submit to the reality that only God is good and knows the way of life (Mark 10:18, Luke 18:19, 3 John 1:11). To learn from the Master is for us to learn through the redemption path Christ provides. There are lots to eat from in life. There is great knowledge to be gained, but knowing Jesus Christ personally is the way that can bring us GOOD. 

Christ alone has mastered doing good in its complete manifestation of love. Jesus, told His disciples “love as I have loved you” (John 13:34, John 15:12) and so we must FOLLOW His example of humble human servitude. Let us reject the good we would have for ourselves. For the GOOD that follows Jesus is the good works God Himself has prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).  

The good that Follows the goodness of God! 

BMD