A ADMIT you're a Sinner
No one likes to admit it when they've done wrong, so we often try to lessen the offense by saying "I'm not as bad as ____________ (you can fill in the blank).”
The problem with that is: God's standard is perfection and sin means not measuring up to that standard.Romans 3:10, 23 applies to all of us.3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;There's some bad news, but then there's some really good news that follows:Romans 6:23 tells us:6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LordThe wages of sin is death. The wages is what we've earned; it's payment is death. That's the bad news.The good news is that God will give us what we didn't earn: eternal life. That cancels out the death penalty. How is that possible? Jesus died in our place!Romans 5:85:8 But God commendeth (proved) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,So, we can be saved from the penalty of our sin but only if we receive God's gift of eternal life. We don't deserve it. We can't earn it or pay for it in any way — we must humbly receive it as a gift.Ephesians 2: 8,9 says:2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:9 Not of works, lest any man should boastSalvation is the gift God want to give you. But you must receive it as a gift. It's not obtained by works or merit — that would make it a reward. It can't be paid for — that would make it a purchase. God wants to give you this gift right now!
No one likes to admit it when they've done wrong, so we often try to lessen the offense by saying "I'm not as bad as ____________ (you can fill in the blank).”
The problem with that is: God's standard is perfection and sin means not measuring up to that standard.Romans 3:10, 23 applies to all of us.3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;There's some bad news, but then there's some really good news that follows:Romans 6:23 tells us:6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LordThe wages of sin is death. The wages is what we've earned; it's payment is death. That's the bad news.The good news is that God will give us what we didn't earn: eternal life. That cancels out the death penalty. How is that possible? Jesus died in our place!Romans 5:85:8 But God commendeth (proved) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,So, we can be saved from the penalty of our sin but only if we receive God's gift of eternal life. We don't deserve it. We can't earn it or pay for it in any way — we must humbly receive it as a gift.Ephesians 2: 8,9 says:2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:9 Not of works, lest any man should boastSalvation is the gift God want to give you. But you must receive it as a gift. It's not obtained by works or merit — that would make it a reward. It can't be paid for — that would make it a purchase. God wants to give you this gift right now!