"If I asked if you would be willing to take a drink of the finest spring water. The purest water that could be obtained by any chemical standards of analysis. You might answer that you would certainly be willing to drink such water. Then suppose I tell you that I have not said a word about the glass into which the water is to be poured. That should give you pause, for the glass in which that pure spring water is conveyed to you has just been emptied of diphtheria culture from a medical laboratory, and multitudes of deadly germs are spread through the water. Now will you take a drink? You refuse, of course.


It is even so with God. You may argue or boast about the works which you have produced; you may even think that by your standards or analysis your works should be acceptable to God. But the word of God comes bluntly to tell you that your good works are contained in a glass of your sinful Adamic heart; and that they have infected every part of your being so that they are an offense to God because they have touched you. (Barnhouse: Let Me Illustrate)"


As a Christian, it’s not secret that spreading Gods word is something that we all need to be doing. A great way to tell others about what they are dearly missing in life is to learn from Jesus. In Mark 10: 17-22 Jesus gives us a great example of what to do. The rich young ruler runs up to Jesus asking Him V. 17 “ good master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Jesus answers in Verse 18 “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”


Jesus, already knowing, that the Rich Young Ruler will proclaim his own goodness (Proverbs 20:6) still takes him through the 10 commandments. To show him that he’s not a good person as well and that nobody can keep the commandments. But in verse 20, the young ruler still proclaims his own goodness not recognizing he’s a sinner. Probably thinking that through his works that he will get to heaven. Then in verse 21, Jesus looks upon the rich young ruler with love knowing he couldn’t give up his earthly possessions.


The rich young ruler didn’t recognize his sin and by not doing so hedidn’t see a need of a savior. He thought through his own good works that he was good enough to be his own savior. Without repentance and Christ, there’s no eternal life. Just like water can be contaminated by a bottle, so your heart is contaminated by sin. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” By deciding you can cleanse your own heart, without the help of the shedding of the Savior’s blood, you are saying that God needs your works to cover your sin. God doesn’t need your help: you need His.