God is glorious. He made people with a glorious intent, but we don’t live up to it. In fact, the bible says that everyone has sinned. We just can’t do what God wants us to do. On the one hand, it might seem offensive to be told that you just don’t (and can’t) measure up, but it’s so important to know because once we know this, we can stop trying so hard to do what is beyond our ability anyway.
God has made a way to treat us as if we measured up to his intentions: Jesus. All that is necessary is to believe in Jesus and say so. This isn’t an exclusive club. Even the giants of faith held out spiritual examples for millennia needed faith in God’s grace. Jesus’ life and death give everyone access. All that is necessary is to believe and say so. This really is good news for people who feel so bad about failure, and who find success is never quite enough.
Read ahead, if you like. Join us Sunday at the ICC for more information.
22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
