THIS Is Eternal Life!
If you or any human being could enter into heaven due to your own goodness, your own righteousness, the Gospel we proclaim would be unnecessary! If there were even a few people who were righteous, perhaps there would be hope that they could teach other people how to be righteous and together we could make this world a better place!! But of course, the Bible, God’s Word, makes it abundantly clear that there is no such person or persons. “ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory (the perfection) of God!” (Romans 3:23). Left to ourselves not one human being could or would enter into God’s presence. “But NOW …” Paul declares that he is not ashamed of the message he is proclaiming because the Gospel carries with it “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes …” (Romans 1:16). In the centuries before the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus the way of salvation had been revealed to only a few people, those chosen by God to believe in the coming Savior. And even they could not fully understand how God would remove the guilt of sin and replace it with a righteousness that could stand in His presence. Forgiveness is one thing, but how can any human being be “good enough” to stand before God? This is the very heart of the Gospel, for in the Gospel “the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law …” (Romans 3:21). Your response to the Gospel depends upon your hearing, understanding and believing that by faith God counts you as righteous IN Christ!! May you rejoice in Jesus and live in thankful obedience to His Word as you embrace this truth!