The best you can do isn’t good enough for God. That’s why He sent Jesus.
This reminds me of building a sandcastle. It looks like a castle, but it doesn’t take long for it to wash away. Even if you build a huge, elaborate sandcastle in a good spot, it will collapse. Even if you try to build one that lasts, it can’t last.
When we look at Psalm 14:2-3, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Isaiah 53:6 & 64:6, Romans 3:12, 23 & 8:8, and 1 John 1:8, we see that it is natural for us to sin, and even the best we can do isn’t good enough to meet God’s standard for righteous living.
But when we look at Isaiah 53, John 3:16-18, Romans 3:21-22, 6:23 & 8:9, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, and 1 John 1:9 & 2:1-2, we see that God has made it so we can be good enough because of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf!
It doesn’t matter how big and elaborate the sandcastle is, it will fall apart at the test of the ocean. It doesn’t matter how many good deeds you do or how impactful they are, they will fall apart at the test of God’s perfection.
Our righteousness isn’t built to last, but God’s righteousness is the only kind that lasts. God’s righteousness is made of an entirely different material.
We try to build, but the best we can do is a flimsy, useless imitation of the real castle God has built. But God has made His righteousness with an open door for us to walk inside and be safe!