It’s a popular catchphrase in today’s vernacular: “It’s all good.” When people say, “it’s all good,” they usually mean that it doesn’t matter what’s happening — everything is okay. Nothing is characterized as being wrong or inappropriate, because “it’s all good.”

The “it’s all good” attitude has, of course, been prominent in religion for generations. The entire concept of denominational religion is that whatever one wants to believe and practice, “it’s all good.” Think you shouldn’t have to do anything in order to benefit from salvation in Christ? It’s all good — there are religious groups that propagate that belief. Think church services should be all about entertainment and emotional display? It’s all good — there are plenty of churches ready to cater to your tastes. Think preachers should never preach about sin, or judgment, or obedience, or eternal condemnation? It’s all good — there are churches all around you where those concepts (scriptural though they are) will never darken the pulpit.

The one place where it’s hard to find the “it’s all good” philosophy is in the New Testament. When Jesus found people using the temple of God as a marketplace and an exchange bank, He didn’t tell them, “It’s all good — do whatever pleases you.” No, He wound leather cords into a whip and drove out the animals that were being sold, and He overturned the tables were currency was being exchanged. Instead of “it’s all good,” Jesus said, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” (John 2:16).

In the same way, when a wealthy leader of the Jews came to Jesus asking, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Jesus did not say to him, “It’s all good — just keep doing what you’re doing. Never mind about all that money you have that is getting in the way of your spirituality.” No, Jesus challenged the young man, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Matthew 19:21).

Jesus’ disciples didn’t find any more place in their teaching for the “it’s all good” attitude than the Master did. When Peter confronted the multitudes on Pentecost with the fact that they had murdered the Lord of glory, they were cut to the heart, and pleaded to know what they could do to rectify what they had done. Peter, we notice, did not respond with, “It’s all good — you’re obviously sorry for what you’ve done, and I know you’ll never do anything so horrible again.” No, Peter commanded them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38).

Likewise, when Aquila and Priscilla heard the preaching of Apollos, who was learned about many things pertaining to the word of God, but had only been instructed in the doctrine and practice of John the baptist, they did not say to him, “It’s all good, Apollos — you have your way of teaching about baptism, and we have ours.” No, this godly couple took Apollos aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:26).

See a pattern here? God’s word does not demonstrate to us the principle that “it’s all good,” that whatever we decide to do in the name of God is perfectly all right with Him. Instead, we find case after case where the Bible shows us the exact opposite of this view. The New Testament presents Jesus and His righteous followers telling people in no uncertain terms that things they were doing and teaching were not “all good,” but rather needed to change to comply with God’s divine will.

What do you say about religion? Do you say what the world says — “It’s all good”? Or do you say what Jesus Christ says — “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). The only “good” is that which is revealed in Him.