By Molly Poozhikala
After some time away on maternity leave, I recently had the joy of returning to the teaching team at Renovate—and jumping back into our Rise Up message series. This series is built around honest, real questions that people actually ask about faith. And this week’s question came straight from one of my close friends:
“If God is real, why do I have to follow a certain religion if I’m a good person?”
It’s a question many people ask—especially those who describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. It’s also a question Christians wrestle with. So let’s walk through it together.
Do I Have to Be a Christian? Understanding Choice, Free Will, and Faith
Before we go any further, this needs to be said clearly: God does not force anyone to follow Him. He doesn’t pressure, manipulate, shame, or control people into belief. God is deeply committed to human free will—sometimes painfully so.
If you’ve ever felt pushed, judged, or coerced by Christians or churches, I’m truly sorry. That was not God’s heart toward you. Christians are flawed human beings, and unfortunately, many people encounter Christianity through broken representatives.
A bad experience with Christians does not invalidate Christ Himself—just like a bad relationship doesn’t define everyone who shares the same category. My bad experience with an ex-boyfriend doesn’t mean every man is going to treat me like that—praise God, I found a husband who loves me better than I could have ever asked for! But I never would have found him if I allowed that bad experience to embitter me towards all men. Even if most men do treat me the way my ex-boyfriend did, that doesn’t mean all men do.
In the same way, no matter how many bad churches you’ve found, I can say firsthand they’re not all bad.
What Makes a Good Person? Morality, Ethics, and Human Goodness
To answer this question honestly, we have to slow down and ask another one first:
What do we mean when we say someone is “good”?
Across cultures, philosophies, religions, and even casual internet discussions, people tend to agree on the same core qualities:
- Honesty
- Empathy
- Kindness
- Generosity
- Virtue
To name a few. Even ancient philosopher Aristotle noticed this agreement. Instead of listing endless virtues, he asked a deeper question: What is the highest good these virtues are meant to produce?
His answer was human flourishing—a truly good and happy life.
According to Aristotle, a good person is someone who:
- Makes virtuous choices consistently
- Uses reason to find the “golden mean” between extremes
- Develops character through repeated, intentional practice
In short: a good person is someone who does the right thing consistently.
So far, most of us nod along.
Why Do Humans Agree on Right and Wrong? The Source of Morality
Here’s where things get interesting.
Why do people across cultures and belief systems agree on what goodness looks like? Why does nearly every major religion—and even secular philosophy—point to similar moral ideals?
The answer is that human beings have an inherent moral awareness. We call it conscience, moral intuition, or a moral compass.
But where does that come from?
Something cannot come from nothing. Just as the universe has a source, goodness has a source. Christians believe that source is God—not arbitrarily, but because it makes sense.
God is not just someone who defines goodness. He is goodness.
Why Christianity Is Exclusive: Jesus, Truth, and Eternal Life
The Bible teaches that God offers something the world cannot: eternal life—life without death, decay, or separation from goodness.
Jesus doesn’t simply comfort us in suffering; He addresses its root. The Bible explains that:
- Evil exists because humanity is separated from God
- Sin is not just wrongdoing, but separation from the source of life
- Death is the natural result of that separation
God does not ignore evil or participate in it. Instead, He creates a bridge back to Himself—and that bridge is Jesus Christ.
Christianity is exclusive not because God is power-hungry, but because only God is perfectly good. Worship always shapes us, and whatever we give ourselves to will eventually form—or deform—our lives.
Jesus Himself said:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Every major religion makes exclusive truth claims. Christianity is simply honest about it.
Is Living a Good Life Enough? Happiness, Suffering, and Eternity
Let’s say you succeed at Aristotle’s vision of goodness. You live virtuously. You minimize suffering. You’re kind, generous, and wise.
Even then:
- You will still suffer
- You will still lose people you love
- You will still die
A nice, happy life—while good—is not enough.
Our souls long for something more permanent. That longing itself points beyond this world.
Christianity doesn’t deny the darkness of the world. It confronts it—and promises that it will not have the final word.
Am I Really a Good Person? Jesus’ Teachings and Moral Perfection
There’s a quieter question hiding underneath the original one:
Am I a good person?
Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5) describe goodness at its fullest: humility, mercy, purity of heart, peacemaking, righteousness.
Now ask yourself honestly:
- Have you been all of these things?
- At all times?
- Even this past week?
If goodness requires perfection, then the truth is uncomfortable but clear:
None of us qualifies.
This is why Christianity does not teach that people earn goodness. It teaches that goodness is received—through Jesus, who alone lived perfectly.
An Invitation to Seek Truth: Christianity, Questions, and Prayer
Christianity is not about proving you’re better than others. It’s about admitting you’re not—and trusting the One who is.
If you’re searching for truth, I encourage you to:
- Keep asking questions
- Use reason and research
- Talk with people you trust
- And yes—try praying
Simply say:
“God, if You are real, please show Yourself to me.”
Approach honestly. Don’t try to control the outcome. Just seek the truth.
Jesus promises that those who truly seek will find.
You don’t have to follow Christianity because you’re a bad person.
You follow Jesus because He alone makes us truly whole.
And that invitation is open to everyone.