I had, and I have heard from many others, a lot of misconceptions about the possibility of enjoying a right standing and relationship with holy God. I hope these points will be clarifying and helpful to you, and I pray God will bless you as you honestly consider them and seek Him.
I. The Gospel (God's Good News) is NOT about being and/or doing good enough for God to accept you.
We cannot earn a right standing with God. All of our attempts to merit His favor through religious endeavors, good deeds, and high morals fall short. So, in the matter of gaining a right standing with God, it may surprise you to learn that it does not matter whether you have been religious or irreligious or even relatively moral or immoral. All of us begin at the same starting point relative to God. The Bible declares that we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” – Romans 3:23.
II. The Gospel is about God being SO good that He has done everything required to accept us just as we are.
In spite of our rebellion against God (sin) and God’s perfectly just condemnation of it, God’s love moved Him to pay the highest price ever paid (the death of His only begotten Son) to purchase our full pardon and offer us eternal life with Him as an absolutely free gift. God’s Son Jesus lived the sinless life that we have not and voluntarily paid sin’s penalty on our behalf, so that in union with Him we can enjoy God’s fellowship and favor forever. The Bible declares “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”- Romans 6:23.
III. This Gospel must be believed to be received.
God wants to give people eternal life. Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid…your Father has gladly chosen to give you the kingdom”- Luke 12:32. In light of this, God has made receiving His gift uncomplicated. The most famous verse in the Bible states that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life”– John 3:16. God loved and gave. We believe to receive. By ‘believe’ the Bible means more than merely thinking something is true. It means trusting in and relying on that something or someone...betting your life on them.
IV. Accepting God’s acceptance in Christ will transform your life forever.
When a person receives God’s gift of life by trusting Jesus to be their Savior and Lord, they are not just receiving something from God. They are receiving God. The Holy Spirit indwells every true believer’s heart and transforms him or her to increasingly live a life of love and faithfulness that honors and pleases God. The Christian life is not a ‘white-knuckled’ experience of trying to do good enough to repay God for this kindness. Rather, it is a Spirit-empowered life of increasing freedom from sin’s reign and ruin. The Bible states “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law”- Galatians 5:22-23.
I hope you will turn to God and trust Him enough to save you from sin, self-rule and His condemnation of both. This requires trusting Him enough to turn your life over to Him. The move from self-rule to God's rule may be frightening and difficult, but it is infinitely worth it. Life with God, under His loving rule even in the most difficult circumstances, is truly life - one filled with faith, hope and love. Life, even in the best of circumstances apart from Him, is empty no matter how we try to fill it. Please earnestly turn to God and put your faith and hope in Christ. He will forgive your sin and give you true life with Him.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Thame
