The Only One Who Is Good
“And behold, a man came up to him, saying, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’ And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good.’” - Matthew 19:16-17
We often measure goodness by our actions. By what we do or don’t do. Maybe you’ve asked yourself a similar question: “What good must I do to be enough?” It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that being “good enough” can earn you something as priceless as eternal life. But when someone asked Jesus this very question, His response turned the whole idea on its head.
Jesus said, “There is only one who is good.” That’s a strong statement. He wasn’t talking about human goodness or good deeds. He was pointing out that true goodness can only be found in God. Why? Because only Jesus lived a completely sinless life. He didn’t just avoid sin, He perfectly kept every commandment, fulfilled every prophecy, and walked in complete obedience to God. That’s something none of us can claim.
You see, Jesus is the only One who ever lived in such a way that He was without fault. He never missed the mark, never failed in His mission, and never needed to be forgiven because He was perfect.
And because of that, He is the only One qualified to show us the way to eternal life. That’s why He later said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). There’s no other path, no other truth, no other life-giver but Jesus.
If you’re trying to “be good enough,” take a step back and realize that you don’t have to be. Only Jesus is good, and He offers His goodness to you. It’s not about what you can do to earn eternal life—it’s about what He has already done. He is the perfect Savior, and He invites you to trust in Him, not in your own efforts. The pressure to be “good enough” is lifted when you follow the only One who truly is.
We often measure goodness by our actions. By what we do or don’t do. Maybe you’ve asked yourself a similar question: “What good must I do to be enough?” It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that being “good enough” can earn you something as priceless as eternal life. But when someone asked Jesus this very question, His response turned the whole idea on its head.
Jesus said, “There is only one who is good.” That’s a strong statement. He wasn’t talking about human goodness or good deeds. He was pointing out that true goodness can only be found in God. Why? Because only Jesus lived a completely sinless life. He didn’t just avoid sin, He perfectly kept every commandment, fulfilled every prophecy, and walked in complete obedience to God. That’s something none of us can claim.
You see, Jesus is the only One who ever lived in such a way that He was without fault. He never missed the mark, never failed in His mission, and never needed to be forgiven because He was perfect.
And because of that, He is the only One qualified to show us the way to eternal life. That’s why He later said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). There’s no other path, no other truth, no other life-giver but Jesus.
If you’re trying to “be good enough,” take a step back and realize that you don’t have to be. Only Jesus is good, and He offers His goodness to you. It’s not about what you can do to earn eternal life—it’s about what He has already done. He is the perfect Savior, and He invites you to trust in Him, not in your own efforts. The pressure to be “good enough” is lifted when you follow the only One who truly is.
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