Difference Between A "Good Person" (By Worldly Standards) and a Righteous Person

Romans 5:7-8 says, "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." So where is the difference between a "good person" and a righteous person? There is God's measuring stick vs. man's measuring stick. Being a "good person" is when a person is compared to the others. Let's say they compare "Mr. Nice Guy" with the likes of corrupt politicians. To worldly standards, he is a "good person" because he tries to do what is right (by his own flesh). They are only good according to worldly standards. Many may be better than the other like for example, Mr. Nice Guy may treat everybody well.

Here's the real issue with God there is NO such thing as a good person as Romans 3:12 says, "There is NONE that doeth good, no not one." which goes together with Psalm 53:3. God declares it that nobody can enter Heaven by weighing the good against the bad. An average person may do all the good works they want to do but they will stumble. According to James 2:10, it takes only one sin to discredit a person for Heaven, therefore, the argument of mortal sin and venial sin is 100% invalid. Romans 3:19 says, "Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."

Now for the righteous person? What makes a person righteous? By default, Romans 3:10 says, "For there is none righteous, no not one." But God has set His own plan that man can be made righteous. How? Here are some verses to show how a man can be made righteous:

• Romans 3:25-26- "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
• Romans 4:3-6- "For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,".
• Romans 5:19- "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous."
• James 2:23- "And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God."

Looking at a few verses above, the righteousness of God is gotten by believing upon His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. So here's how it works- salvation is by faith ALONE in the Lord Jesus Christ without works yet it will always result to good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). So for one to have faith counted for righteousness, it will result to righteousness. Titus 2:11-15 teaches that God's salvation changes man to be truly zealous of good works compared to the unsaved man who is just doing good works for his own personal merit. Hebrews 9:14 declares that the blood of Jesus washes away sins and causes the person to be purged from DEAD WORKS to truly serve God. Matthew 7:15 says that by their fruits, they will be known. Also, it's really impossible to be a Christian and not bear even one good fruit for the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:12-13 is clear that in Christian good works, it's God working in the Christian and the Christian should rely on God's grace to do works of righteousness. It's work out, work for.

However one must note that some Christians, although they have God's righteousness, are not very consistent with their lives. Romans 7:14-25 has the apostle Paul discussing how he has even fallen into sin big or small and feels bad about it, but he is confident in Christ Jesus the only one who could help him overcome the struggle but he was far more consistent than most Christians today. Hebrews 11 has the hall of faith which however listed some of the unexpected like Jephthah and Samson. Why even the best men stumbled like Noah got drunk and David committed adultery and murder (along with theft, covetousness, and lying). Nehemiah 13:26 still acknowledges Solomon to be the king beloved of his God even if he had fallen into the terrible sin of heathen women. Unlike what the legalistic works salvation preachers today would say Solomon is in Hell (while hypocritically still reading Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs), Solomon was definitely a righteous man in God's eyes but he, however, like most Christians, fell into compromise. Yet in the end, Solomon's confession in Ecclesiastes showed that the was still a believer at best.

However, because of God's righteousness in them (the new man), they were vexed by their sins because of the war between the old self which is of the Devil vs. the new self which is born of God. They repented not because they were saved but because they were already saved. Being saved does more than just save a person, it saves them from their sins. Hebrews 12:5-6 says that God chastises those who are His because they are sons, not bastards. As said, if a Christian is not right with God, he/she should expect punishment to get him/her back on track!