[[Matt 19:16-17/KJV]]
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
[[Joh 17:3]] KJV
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
[[Joh 17:21-23/KJV]]
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
I use to find my Lords response to being called good perplexing. Why the correction after all he was good...he had never sinned and he always did what God said he should.
The only conclusion I could gather was like his baptism he was just showing us an example.
The reason for my ignorance was I had a false perception of what being good meant. I was saved but still thinking to be good meant my will and actions made to obey what was written in the scriptures. Much like the Pharisees who believed because they had the Scriptures they knew God.
In a similar way the Apostles asked Christ if he would now restore the kingdom(reign) to Israel. Jesus replied the kingdom(reign) of God is in you; meaning until God was sovereign in their heart He could never be sovereign and their land.
So it is that life and "to be good" is Gods life and goodness...it is not generated by man; not even Jesus. His goodness and life was the Father living through him making them one.
This same oneness has been given to us who trust in the redemption of Jesus Christ. That by Gods Holy breath of life breathed into us we may live the same life Jesus lived which is Gods life making us one.
So I encourage you "lay aside THE SIN (of self reliance) that so easily entangles us " and depend upon his Spirit to live in and through you. Become an earthen vessel carrying the goodness and life of God to all who meet you.
remember nobody can serve two masters... your life depends on either you or him
