Good, but not Godly

One of the things that I believe about a lot of Americans is that they fit the description of the old saying "they're just good people". There are a lot of "good people" in America. People that are relatively honest. People that believe in making an honest day's pay. People that believe in people treating fairly and with respect. People that believe in taking care of their families and honoring their communities and country. Just "good people". However, the challenge that I'm also finding with a lot of Americans is that even though we have a lot of people in this nation that are "good", we don't necessarily have a lot of people that are "godly".
There is a distinct difference between being "socially good" and "spiritually godly". Many Americans have mastered the social graces of operating in American culture. But we have failed miserably in embracing the principles and precepts that lead to godly living that pleases God. This is why you can have an American President who, for all intents and purposes, would be considered a "good guy" or a "good man", who at the same time publicly condones same-sex marriage before the entire nation. This is why you can have a major sports network that is full of employees that would be considered "good people", give an award to a man who is confused about gender identity. These things would not be happening if America was more of a godly nation.
Part of this cultural phenomenon has to do with the witness of the church. One of the problems with many Christians is that we actually think that we are good. Jesus makes it very clear when He was talking to the rich, young ruler, "there is none good but God" (Mark 10). So the witness of the church needs to be, we ain't no good. Yes saints, we have no goodness apart from God. So no matter how moral you are, how disciplined you are, how holy you are, JESUS SAYS, if you ain't God, you ain't good. This is an important concept to embrace because we begin to project a spirit of "self-righteousness" when we become infatuated and impressed with our own brand of goodness. This is not of God. Rejoice strictly and solely in the Righteousness of Christ on behalf of our sins (Romans 5).
On the other hand, another problem with the witness of the church is that we don't have a strong enough witness of godliness. When a person is walking in godliness, the understanding is that the Spirit of Christ is now manifesting Himself through our spirit and personality. It's not our godliness, it's the Lord's. But He has to have willing and available vessels to work through. That's why the scripture says that it's the will of God for us to be Sanctified (1Thessalonians 4). That's why the Bible says that Jesus died to redeem us from iniquity (Titus 2). Saints, as members of the Body of Christ, we can no longer continue to delve in the works of the flesh. We must learn to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5). We must establish a witness to the world that shows that the works we do for Christ are not about our goodness, they are about His godliness working through us.