The short answer is no. For we read in (Romans 3:10-12):
“As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.’”
Pastor John MacArthur states our condition as follows: “If you trust in your own goodness, you are doomed. God accepts only absolute perfection, which does not exist in the human realm, except in Christ.”1
While Satan tries to convince us that we are good people, the Bible teaches us that we are sinners with, in the words of Jeremiah, a desperately wicked heart (Jeremiah 17:9). Not only that but God tells us in (Genesis 6:5): “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” The undeniable truth is that man is totally depraved. Again, even the seemingly good things he does are ultimately done with sinful motives.
I share the following personal testimony to demonstrate the all-encompassing nature of sin. Back in 1981, I used to do volunteer work at a community center for mentally disturbed individuals in New York City. Twice a week I would donate my time to help feed, socialize with and listen to the problems of these hurting people. Years later, when I began to analyze my motives behind doing such a worthwhile activity, the answer suddenly became obvious. Back then there existed a great void in my life, and a desire to find meaning. I thought that this work would help fill that void in my life. The real reason behind my outwardly good deed was not to help others, but to help me.
The sad reality is that if Satan can make you believe that you are basically good then he can also make you believe that you don’t need the message of the gospel. But the only way to be restored back to God is through the imputed righteousness of Christ. Since we are under condemnation from the law of God we, by ourselves, are hopelessly lost. Thankfully, as John MacArthur also insightfully states: “The very One who gave the law that condemns us also supplies the righteousness needed to save us. And that is the only merit we need to have a right standing before Him.”2
My friends, the good news is that even though we are not good, God is very good and the Gospel is indeed good news! When we trust in Christ we become a new creation and takes on Christ’s righteousness. We now become members of the family of God and are transformed from sinners to saints, from bondage to free. And there is nothing that can compare with our new life in Christ and being forgiven from a lifetime of sin. Restoration via transformation through Christ is the only pathway to true peace and joy now and eternal life in the life to come. No wonder we are told to: “Rejoice always.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16).