The book of Romans is clear that God has concluded that “they are all under sin” (Romans 3:9). God has pointedly said, “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). The faith one practices will have no bearing on being righteous before God. Just as a linebacker cannot make up his own rules for being a quarterback and immediately take over the role, so we can’t make up our own rules (spiritual practices) for righteousness and expect God to immediately accept us as his own.
God has set the example of his Son as the only one who has lived a life well-pleasing to him. Do you live to please God? If you have not lived to please God, you broke the first commandment, and you must suffer the consequences.
Just as you’ll pay a penalty if you are caught breaking a local civil law like running a red light, you’ll pay the penalty of death and @#!*% for breaking God’s law. Fortunately for us, God has provided a way out. He sent his Son to die in our place. That’s why Jesus was on the cross. You and I are supposed to die for our sins, but God decreed in the Bible that a substitutionary sacrifice was acceptable, but only if it were perfect. Jesus was the perfect one whom God accepted as a perfect substitute to die for the sins we’ve committed.
Now we may believe on Jesus and our sins will be transferred to Jesus. Then Jesus’ perfect righteousness will be transferred to us, and we’ll have the “goodness” we’ll need for eternity with God.
Do not trust in your own righteousness, for God has set the bar high. Instead, trust in Jesus and confess that you have fallen short of God’s righteousness, and God will forgive you and freely grant you the righteous standing you need.
What Do You Think?
a. If a person wants to try out for a football team, should his beliefs in chess make a difference? He would still have to go through the same tryouts as everyone else, right? The person’s chess life will have to be put off if it hinders the tryouts, right? Would a person have to put off their faith if it does not honor Jesus the way the Bible’s God wants them to?
b. Do you believe all the religious faiths are equally valid, although contradictory? How can you prove that? If Muslims, Jews and Christians are all worshiping the same God, then why do the fanatical Muslims try to kill Jews, and the ultra-orthodox Jews make the Christians second-class citizens in Israel?
c. Should God accept the faith of a people who are of a religion hostile to him and which persecutes Christians? Why or why not?
