Deceived by Our Perception of Goodness!

 The episode emphasizes how our personal perceptions and moral compasses often mislead us from true righteousness, which is only found through God. Using biblical references, it explains that true goodness is not achieved through personal efforts but through abiding in Christ and His teachings. Listeners are encouraged to align their hearts with God’s truth and to rely on divine wisdom rather than their own understanding.

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Transcript

Introduction: The Deception of Self-Perceived Goodness

 Welcome to the Ministering Angel Podcast, where you'll deepen your connection with Jesus Christ. Whether new or returning this podcast is your guide to unlocking potential and overcoming challenges. Ronald, along with various hosts, shares divine messages that inspire strength, wisdom, and resilience.

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 One of the greatest deceptions of our time is the belief that our perception of goodness is the same as God’s standard of goodness. We often walk confidently in our own moral compass, trusting our feelings, experiences, and opinions as the guide for what is right and wrong. Yet Scripture makes it clear that our perception is flawed and limited. What we think is good may not be good at all when held against the holiness and truth of God.

Scriptural Insights on Human Goodness

Isaiah 64:6 tells us, “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.” This means that even our best efforts and intentions, apart from God, are tainted by sin. We tend to see ourselves through a lens of comparison rather than conviction. We compare our actions to those of others, convincing ourselves that as long as we are “better” or “not as bad,” we are good. But God’s standard of goodness is not measured by comparison, it is measured by His character.

Proverbs 14:12 warns, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” The world teaches us that as long as something feels right or seems kind, it must be good. Yet Scripture reveals the opposite: what seems noble, generous, or harmless in our eyes may still lead to destruction if it is not rooted in God’s truth. 

The Danger of Self-Righteousness

Goodness without God becomes self-righteousness. It becomes an illusion of purity that blinds us to our need for grace.

Jeremiah 17:9 declares, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Our emotions and instincts often trick us into believing we are right when, in reality, we may be far from God’s will. Feelings are powerful but they are not always truthful. They shift with seasons, moods, and influences. That’s why leaning on personal perception instead of God’s Word is so dangerous. God’s Word remains constant when everything else changes.

Jesus Himself addressed this deception when He said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21). Many will stand before Him, convinced that their works prove their goodness, saying, “Did we not speak in your name, cast out demons, and do many mighty works in your name?”—yet Jesus will respond, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

That statement reveals the heart of true righteousness. Even those convinced of their own goodness will be exposed if their lives were not built on obedience and relationship with Christ. 

True Righteousness Through Connection with God

The difference between being “good” and being “righteous” is not in action, but in connection. A good person may do right things but still live apart from God’s Spirit. A righteous person allows the Spirit to produce right things through them.

Romans 3:10 reminds us, “None is righteous, no, not one.” This humbles every human being before God. It removes pride and levels the playing field. No one can boast of their own goodness apart from Christ. Our only claim to righteousness is through the blood of Jesus. It is His perfection that covers our imperfection, His obedience that redeems our rebellion, and His Spirit that transforms our nature.

The Fruit of the Spirit: True Goodness

Galatians 5:22–23 describes what true goodness looks like: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Notice that this fruit is not produced by human effort, but by surrender to God. It is not the result of striving to be better but of abiding in Him. Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

That statement exposes the root of the deception. We believe we can be good without God. We believe we can love without Him, forgive without Him, and live rightly without Him. But apart from Him, everything we do lacks eternal value. It may look fruitful for a moment, but it will not last because it was never rooted in Christ.

The Challenge of Aligning with God's Standard

The challenge today is to ask ourselves: Is my goodness rooted in Christ or in my own perception? The answer reveals whether we are deceived or walking in truth. If our goodness depends on how we feel or how others see us, we are building on sand. But if our goodness flows from obedience, humility, and love for God, then we are building on the rock.

We must stop measuring ourselves by the world’s standard of goodness and start aligning ourselves with God’s Word. The world rewards performance, appearance, and influence, but God looks at the heart. True goodness is not about being liked, admired, or applauded; it is about being surrendered, faithful, and transformed.

Only His truth can pierce through the deception of our own perceptions. His Word exposes what we try to hide, humbles what we try to exalt, and heals what we try to fix on our own. It reveals that goodness is not something we achieve but something we receive through the Spirit.

Conclusion: Surrendering to God's Truth

When we truly understand this, we stop striving to be “good” and start seeking to be godly. We stop performing for acceptance and start living from identity. We stop relying on what feels right and start submitting to what is right.

The world says, “Follow your heart.” Jesus says, “Follow Me.”

One leads to confusion and deception; the other leads to truth and life.

So today, ask God to reveal the hidden places where your perception has deceived you. Ask Him to show you His standard of goodness and to align your heart with His truth. Because in the end, what matters most is not how good we seemed, but how fully we surrendered to the One who is truly good.

 Thank you for joining the Ministering Angel Podcast. Stay connected, stay inspired, and continue growing in faith. Until next time, be blessed and keep shining your light.