By what merit do you claim to be good?

Question

What is the basis and support that you are good, that you have any capacity to be good?

Answer 1

God alone is good. What I have of good in me, I have from Him.

Answer 2

I cannot claim that I alone have any capacity to be good. I know that once I was saved my thoughts and desires changed, but that was the work of the Spirit, it had nothing to do with anything I was doing. My only support for claiming goodness is the Holy Spirit working in my life and through me when I am obedient. God's grace is good, without it in my life I would not want to imagine.

Answer 3

First, that is a subjective call. No matter what I do in life, there are some who think it is evil and some who think it is good.

However, most of what I do is just being human, which I consider good. We have evolved over millions of years, and have survived shaped by our environment to be what we are today. Therefore, most of what we have do is generally good. If that is not so, we wouldn't have survived this long. (Using "what benefits humanity as a whole" as the definition of good here)

If you think about it, most people are mostly good. Most of what we do in life is benign or beneficial to society. We are also mostly the same. The most ardent atheist to the most zealous religious person still have more values in common than different. It's when you get too obsessed over the differences and base your judgements on superstitions that things break down.

Answer 4

Good and bad are subjective designations, but on some virtues and taboos we have broad social agreement based on the perception that the behavior causes or alleviates suffering. So we say torture is bad, tending the sick is good.

I conduct myself ethically, I give to various charities which alleviate suffering : autism, juvenile cerebral palsy, diabetes. I'm active in the political life of my community and country for the better I believe. I am loyal and generous to friends and family and strangers for that matter. I have been and am a father to the fatherless, supporting a widow and her four children. I obey the laws. By the subjective standards of our society, I am good. I certainly leap far over the low bar set by the flesh-eating, slave-keeping, child-slaughtering gods of the popular Mideastern monotheisms, though that's hardly an accomplishment.

Answer 5

There is nothing "good " about me!. In Gods eyes, He says " YOUR GOOD WORKS ARE AS FILTHY RAGS BEFORE MY EYES!" Our Works Don't Cut it or mean a thing. God LOOKS Upon The HEART, And I Am So Glad. He Knows My Spirit Is Willing, But The Flesh IS Weak.

Answer 6

I am a good person because I am kind, generous, helpful... I consider myself a sinner in that I swear, think bad thoughts sometimes, and I can be lazy... But I don't steal, I don't kill, I don't spread hate and evil. I'm not the best person, but I'm not the worst either.

Answer 7

I volunteer hundreds of hours a year for no compensation whatsoever. That's pretty good. I love my fellow man, even when he makes mistakes and irritates me in general. I don't mess with other people's beliefs-that makes me tolerant, which is good. I keep myself informed and educated so that I can become a productive citizen. What makes you good?

Answer 8

I don't hit people. I don't take things that don't belong to me. I try not to lie (too much). I give to charity (not a great amount, but I do my part). I always wear my seatbelt. I respect the law, even if I think some of it might be stupid (like marijuana being illegal).
And that's the short list.

Answer 9

It depends what the definition of 'good' is. That definition is somewhat arbitrary (even among Christians). Nobody is fully good. For me, I decide whether what I am doing is good or not based on my understanding/interpretation of God and the bible, the consequences of my actions, and my motives. But only God knows really what is good and what is not good.

Answer 10

because when i am at my lowest point something mazing happens at the end..eg..if i have no money i get an unexpected check from some forgotten source.. i also believe in giving back... love my job and to make a difference when people are so weak physically or mentally is so rewarding.

Answer 11

Christ's Infinite Merits given as agift of love to be lived and cooperated with