Read Romans 3.
The question that determines where a person will spend eternity is, "What
have you done about your sin?" That question penetrates to the core
of who we are and why God would ever accept us. Many are the attempts of
humans to justify themselves but not one of man's ideas will ever be
satisfactory before a righteous and holy God.
Our parentage does not count. (v.9a)
Being in a particular group does not count. (v.9b)
Keeping the commandments does not count. (v.20)
But if I keep the Ten Commandments and do certain things won't I be good enough
for God to accept me? The answer here is clearly no. Why?
Because none of those things address the root issue. The problem is
our personal sin. We are judged by God's word not ours.
How pervasive is sin?
v.9 "...all...are under sin"
v.10 "None is righteous, no, not one."
v.11 "no one understands; no one seeks God."
v.12 "All have turned aside...no one does good, not even one."
Sin affects a person's speech (vv.13-14)
Sin affects a person's behavior (vv.15-17)
Sin affects a person's thinking (v.18)
Some respond by trying harder. "We have all become like one who is
unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted
garment...worthless..." (Isaiah 64:6)
Some reject what God has said and choose to believe in something else.
But that does not change the facts. "...so that every mouth
may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God."
(v.19)
Some react to Christians and churches who have disappointed or hurt them.
"Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By
no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar..." (vv.3-4)
There are simply no acceptable excuses for not dealing with one's sin.
What is the answer?
In the entire universe, there is only one solution to sin. "...the
righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe...and
are justified by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus..." (vv.22-24) I confess my sin to God and He forgives me, not
because of my goodness but because I believe Jesus paid for my sin on the
cross.
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