It can’t be done. That’s right. There are no steps that you can take, or works that you can do that will make you right with God
Religion and your pride will tell you differently.
Both beckon you to follow all types of rules and regulations. they promise righteousness as the reward for obedience.
That’s the problem. We can’t live up to the rules and the regulations. Have you tried the Ten Commandments? How well did you do?
Here is the truth. Law condemns, even our best efforts. It’s a harsh, humbling reality. As the bible declares, “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin” (Romans 3:20 NIV).
The law screams out that we are sinners, that we are not right with God. The religious rules and regulations condemn as well.
We fall short.
But…
We are justified, or made right , freely by God’s grace (Romans 3:24).
Righteousness is a gift. It can’t be earned, only received.
Jesus did the work. He is the One who makes us right. What we couldn’t do for ourselves, He did.
How can you be made right with God? Receive the gift of righteousness by faith.
If you have, you are right in God’s sight.
This is definitely a hard concept for many to grasp…as they see the “those that do this this and this will not enter the Kingdom of God” scriptures and shy away from what grace really is. Some folks will argue till they are blue in the face about grace not being that free.
Thank you!!
I’d love a visit from you on my blog.
Jenny
Accepting and believing the”Mystery kept hidden for ages”of Pauls gospel is so difficult for the human brain to accept,that it is indeed impossible. Only though the Spirits action of first blinding Paul to his flesh and then opening his eyes to his spirit could the mystery be revealed. Whether this was against Pauls will or not is a topic of another day.
First Off, the four! Comments regarding the subject are wonderful! Please forgive me, my comments will be somewhat wordy. I Like the Way, Bob opens up his comments with the fact that we can’t be righteous with God in our own strength and efforts. I immediately looked at the title of the blogspot and reread it as “how to be made right by God.” I marvel at the comments concerning the struggles that we all have before we come in contact with the message of grace, the full gospel, and the New Covenant. Many years ago I prayed, “Father please and allow me and help me to see myself and to see others how you see us. This did not happen immediately but it is very evident in my understanding and my life today.
I must add at this point in this post I am blind. I assure you that my request Of the Father was not because of my physical disability. My request came as my understanding grew of grace along with the new creation that I am in the new identity that I have. There is a reason why father created this new and came to live within us. It was not only that he would live his life in and through us and that the dying world could see the result of his living in and through us- the love of God-of the invisible God being seen by the lost and dying world. Grace is God, the Lord Jesus Christ living in and through us using our eyes and our understanding to see others and ourselves as he sees us. All of this happens in the New Creation. In the New Creation God makes it possible for us to have a renewed mind which works in conjunction with the mind of Christ and our new heart for us to do exactly what God wants to do in and through us. Grace has helped me not only to start experiencing my life (Christ’s life) in action. One last comment, in recent months I prayed father, please allow me to see and to read your word through the eyes of the new creation and not with my intellect. All I can say is it is amazing. Living in the New Creation, Christ in you your hope of glory has taken on significant new understanding as I and my brothers and sisters in the body are being made right by God. Thank you Jesus!
God Bless,
Brad Heath
brad_heath@charter.net