10 April 2017
A Really Glorious Standard
Romans 5:6-8
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
The biggest obstacle in sharing our Faith is the unbelievers’ lack of understanding their need to be saved from their sins. They view judgment through their human understanding and sincerely believe that if they are a good person doing good things, then God will be good to them in return. The trouble with this theory is that it is based on human standards and not God’s. Do you know what?! Even if judgment were based on human standards and not God’s, they STILL wouldn’t be “good” enough.
Think about it... Pick any arbitrary set of human standards - can I meet them all? Did I meet the highest standard for education? No. Do I meet the latest fitness agenda? No. Do I eat all the “right” foods (whatever they are) all the time? No. Is my swear jar empty? No. Have I ever driven over the speed limit? Um, yes. And a host of other things would keep me out of Heaven based on human standards.
I would also be out of luck if judgment were based on my own standards. Do you know I haven’t even met those %100 in a day not ever! I make great to-do lists, but I inevitably skip a chore, forget some item at the grocery store, or come home from Target with some stuff I don’t need. And under my bookshelves needs some regular dusting, but I typically just run a rag under there super fast if I know company is coming over. Lord, help me! I don’t even meet my own standards! My closets are unorganized, my carpets need cleaning, I have weeds that need pulling, and jeans that don’t fit.
But at least I try hard? God knows we’re not perfect... And that’s the whole point. God’s standard is based on his Son, who IS perfect. And since he knows we’re not perfect, he doesn’t expect us to be perfect rule keepers. He invented a whole new way for people to be saved that has nothing to do with our behavior but everything to do with what we believe.
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (Romans 3:21-22)
Why wouldn’t unbelievers prefer this over their own “be good” theory about judgment? It’s a much better deal. And what’s wrong with God’s standard anyway? It’s referred to as “glorious” in Romans 3:23. My standards aren’t glorious at all. They’re for efficiency only, very boring and some dreadful. I would not call them “glorious” in anyway. Neither would I label the “moral” things people do as “glorious” either. God’s standard is based on the condition of our hearts not what we can accomplish with our bodies. And there is nothing mundane or boring about his standards. They are actually something to appreciate and strive to implement! Joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control, and unconditional love?! (See Galatians 5:22-23) Sign me up! It would be glorious if all humans interacted only this way all the time rather than pursue our own precious to-do lists that we are not even good enough to complete!
Dear God,
Thank you for YOUR Standard that is indeed glorious. I love you so much, and I just can’t thank you enough! Thank you that I am NOT saved by what I can do but simply by having a rich, informative, comforting, refreshing and glorious relationship with you through your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray, amen.
A Really Glorious Standard
Romans 5:6-8
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
The biggest obstacle in sharing our Faith is the unbelievers’ lack of understanding their need to be saved from their sins. They view judgment through their human understanding and sincerely believe that if they are a good person doing good things, then God will be good to them in return. The trouble with this theory is that it is based on human standards and not God’s. Do you know what?! Even if judgment were based on human standards and not God’s, they STILL wouldn’t be “good” enough.
Think about it... Pick any arbitrary set of human standards - can I meet them all? Did I meet the highest standard for education? No. Do I meet the latest fitness agenda? No. Do I eat all the “right” foods (whatever they are) all the time? No. Is my swear jar empty? No. Have I ever driven over the speed limit? Um, yes. And a host of other things would keep me out of Heaven based on human standards.
I would also be out of luck if judgment were based on my own standards. Do you know I haven’t even met those %100 in a day not ever! I make great to-do lists, but I inevitably skip a chore, forget some item at the grocery store, or come home from Target with some stuff I don’t need. And under my bookshelves needs some regular dusting, but I typically just run a rag under there super fast if I know company is coming over. Lord, help me! I don’t even meet my own standards! My closets are unorganized, my carpets need cleaning, I have weeds that need pulling, and jeans that don’t fit.
But at least I try hard? God knows we’re not perfect... And that’s the whole point. God’s standard is based on his Son, who IS perfect. And since he knows we’re not perfect, he doesn’t expect us to be perfect rule keepers. He invented a whole new way for people to be saved that has nothing to do with our behavior but everything to do with what we believe.
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (Romans 3:21-22)
Why wouldn’t unbelievers prefer this over their own “be good” theory about judgment? It’s a much better deal. And what’s wrong with God’s standard anyway? It’s referred to as “glorious” in Romans 3:23. My standards aren’t glorious at all. They’re for efficiency only, very boring and some dreadful. I would not call them “glorious” in anyway. Neither would I label the “moral” things people do as “glorious” either. God’s standard is based on the condition of our hearts not what we can accomplish with our bodies. And there is nothing mundane or boring about his standards. They are actually something to appreciate and strive to implement! Joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control, and unconditional love?! (See Galatians 5:22-23) Sign me up! It would be glorious if all humans interacted only this way all the time rather than pursue our own precious to-do lists that we are not even good enough to complete!
Dear God,
Thank you for YOUR Standard that is indeed glorious. I love you so much, and I just can’t thank you enough! Thank you that I am NOT saved by what I can do but simply by having a rich, informative, comforting, refreshing and glorious relationship with you through your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray, amen.
RSS Feed