The obstacle

The obstacle

God is holy and righteous. This also means that He cannot allow anything corrupt in His presence[1].

Separation

Because God is holy, it means there is an obstacle between Him and us. The Bible calls the sum of all we do wrong in life “sins”, and sin is the problem that separates us humans from God[2]. Right now, but also after this life on earth[3].

Who can honestly say never to have done anything wrong in life[4]? Even the tiniest little sin is enough to condemn us when God judges our lives[5].

This is a tough message: realizing all this, how could anyone ever spend eternity with God in heaven? And yet heaven is of course where we all want to go to when we die…

Good life?

You may say: “Now wait a minute, I’m not that bad! Okay, I did things wrong in my life, but I also did many good things, so I’ll surely pass, won’t I?”

Well, even people who think they are actually not so bad, still have sinned. For even a small lie or bad thought is sin all the same. Not even to speak of really bad behavior or crimes. If you think you’re not so bad, don’t lie to yourself: we all know for ourselves what exactly we did wrong in our lives and no one is perfect[6].

Heaven cannot be earned

You may say: “Well maybe I’m not perfect, but I did a lot of good things also”. Of course it’s great to do good things in life[7]. Only: those good works can never remove your sins from you[8]. We cannot get good grades to earn a place in heaven. So no one will be able to boast about it in heaven either. This is exactly why the Lord Jesus said this is the work we should do: believe in Him, since only He can give us forgiveness for our sins[9].

There is hope

Keep reading, for there is hope to solve the problem of your sins[10]!

Continue: You only live once

 

[1]

No one is holy like the Lord… (1 Samuel 2:2)

Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at His footstool – He is holy. (Psalm 99:5)

But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness. (Isaiah 5:16)

For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior… (Isaiah 43:3)

Are You not from everlasting, o LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, You have appointed them for judgment; o Rock, You have marked them for correction. You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness. (Habakkuk 1:12-13)

… that Holy One Who is to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)

… Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8)

[2]

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)

[3]

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it’s fullgrown, brings forth death. (James 1:15)

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned – (Romans 5:12)

… so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)

… the soul who sins shall die. (Ezekiel 18:4)

The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteous of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. (Ezekiel 18:20)

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1)

[4]

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way;… (Isaiah 53:6a)

For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

… there is none who does good, no, not one. (Psalm 14:3 & 53:3)

Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight – that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge. (Psalm 51:4)

… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)

[5]

Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder’, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgement.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother ‘Raca! (= empty-headed) shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew 5:22)

You have heard that it was said to those of old ‘You shall not commit adultery’. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)

[6]

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)

[7]

This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. (Titus 3:8)

[8]

For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. (Romans 4:4-5)

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us… (Titus 3:5)

[9]

Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him Whom He sent.” (John 6:28-29)

… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:23-26)

[10]

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)