But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:21-24 (NIV)
Since the fall of Adam, all mankind are big fat sinners in need of a Savior. All of us. Just as there is no river without a spring or a ray of sunshine without the sun, apart from Christ, there is no grace. We are all doomed without Jesus. If we have any temptation to own our own righteousness we fall. “Nothing in our hands we bring, only to the cross we cling”, the saying goes. Thankfulness and humility is the proper attitude and dress for every heir of mercy. We are to be humble people who build their houses on the Rock of Jesus. All else is merely sinking sand. We empty our vessels of self and are in need of the filling of the Holy Spirit, and there is fullness in Him. Apart from Him we will remain wanting. Self is to be crucified. Paul writes in Galatians 2:20 (NIV): “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
The Lord Jesus bestows upon us grace giving way to grace. One must realize the bitter harvest that sin can bring in one’s life. Sin never produces what it promises. Indeed, it always brings death to something be it trust or love or whatever. We need to be washed clean every day. Sin dirties the vessel and we run to the cross seeking forgiveness. As believers, we are not sinless yet we are called to sin less. Remember, the clearer the glass is, the more fully it receives the beams of Light – we are to keep our accounts short with the Lord.
The pride of the wicked heart will not know God. Just as Pharoah stated with contempt: “Who is the Lord?” Oftentimes, sadly, even those saints who follow Him are low in their estimation, knowledge, concern and fearfulness of God. Scripture tells us in Proverbs 1:7 (NIV): “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” And again in Proverbs 9:10 (NIV): “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Whenever something is stated in Scripture more than once, it is indeed to be a red flag for us.
Be thankful for the efficacy of His blood shed on our behalf. Where would we be without Him? He saves us from our sins and from ourselves.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIV)