Someone may say, “I sacrifice. I give my money to the poor. I do all the right things.” But for a deed to be good in the sight of God, not only must it conform externally to the law of God, but it also must flow out of a heart that loves God completely. If any deed I do has the slightest admixture of selfishness, pride, arrogance, or anything else that mars that work, it’s not good in the sight of God. Because sin touches everything, Paul was not exaggerating when he said, “None is righteous, no, not one.” There are people who think they have enough goodness to satisfy the demands of God—but
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