There’s a phrase that I say a lot in ministry when preaching at church or at revivals, that when I say it, it always confuses people.  I will say, “I don’t want you to be a good person.”  Wait, what?  Isn’t that kinda what this whole faith/Christianity thing is all about?  Being and becoming a good person?

No, that’s not what this is all about.  Paul tells us what this is all about today in Colossians 1: 25-27:

25 I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory

This is the hope of glory – Christ in you.  That’s what it is all about, that’s the point of faith, of all this.  For you to know and love Jesus, and to have the Holy Spirit live within you.  To know God and know God better.  Christ in you, it changes you, it transforms you, it remakes you, it restores you.  Christ in you (through faith) changes everything.

I don’t want you to be a good person.  I want you to fall in love with Jesus.  If you fall in love with Jesus, through the power of the spirit that dwells within you, He will take care of the good and the bad.  He will cleanse you and make you whole.

If you focus on morality and “being good,” you may miss the point.

The point of our faith is not to “be good.”  It’s to be in a relationship with the Triune God, to love Him and love our neighbor with all that we are.  That’s the point.

But that only happens with that hope of glory, Christ in you.  That’s where it all starts.

So, today, don’t focus on being a good person.  Focus on loving Jesus.  If you love Him, the spirit will convict you and burn away unrighteousness.  He will do that, we just have to be faithful and follow.

If we are “good” but miss Jesus, we’ve missed the point.  Love Him, follow Him, focus on Him.  He’ll take care of the rest.

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