18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly.
20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21 “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.”
22 Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying,
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
24 And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife,
25 and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
(Matthew 1:18-25)

Jesus is 100% God who entered time and space 2000 years ago when he became an embryo inside a virgin named Mary. Remaining fully God he became also fully human.

8 And in the same region (of Bethlehem, where Jesus had just been born), there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
10 And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people;|
11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger.”

(Luke 2:8-12)

Jesus came to bring good news!

Jesus came to bring good news of great joy!

Jesus came to bring good news of great joy to all of us (no matter who we are and what we’ve done).

Jesus came to be our Savior (from the worst “bad news”).

Jesus is the Christ (the Savior whose life, death, resurrection and ascension were foretold in the Bible many times beginning 1400 years before He came to earth).

Jesus is the Lord (God as verified by His miracles, His sacrificial love, His sinless life, his teaching and his fulfillment of prophecy).

Jesus is God who came to live as a common man, beginning life in a stinking stable, so that we can get to know Him better and so that we can know He understands life as a human in a tough world.

The Bad News

35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him (Jesus) a question, testing Him,
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 “This is the great and foremost commandment.
39 “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
(Matthew 22:35-40)

These are the two greatest laws in the Bible according to Jesus.

God made each of us and has given us laws by which to live (Exodus 20:1-17, Matthew 5:21-48 and Matthew 22:35-40). We’ve each broken most of them over and over. Sin is breaking God’s laws by not doing what He asks us to do and doing what He forbids. Our sin separates us from God now and forever.

If we’re honest with ourselves, we realize we have broken the two greatest laws pretty consistently 24/7. And, since these are the greatest laws then we are the greatest of sinners.

Here are a few other laws:

21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’
22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
(Matthew 5:21-22)

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’;

28 but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
(Matthew 5:27-28)

We are all serial murderers and adulterers. We’ve broken all ten commandments and hundreds of other commandments from God in the same way.

We have lived in rebellion to the God that created us and has given us every good thing we have. We have been self-absorbed and thought God existed to make us happy and give us stuff. We’ve gotten angry at Him when He didn’t deliver.

To sooth our consciences and justify our self-absorbed lives, most of us have created a god of our imagination that is ok with our sin. For most of us this god has little resemblance to the God of the Bible. The creation of this god the way we want him to be breaks God’s heart. It is a horrifically evil sin the Bible calls idolatry.

The result?

4 Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who will render to every man according to his deeds
(Romans 2:4-6)

God gave John this vision about the future day of judgment:

11 “And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
14 And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire”
(Revelation 20:11-15)
.

The evilness of sin can be seen by its penalty. To be truly sorrowful before God regarding our sin and rebellion is a miracle He works in our hardened hearts. Ask Him, cry out to Him, for this miracle. It’s only when we’re broken over our sin that we realize we desperately need a Savior. Then the good news will blow us away!

The Good News

15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”
(1 Timothy 1:15).

Jesus came for bad people and only for bad people. Only bad people can enter a good relationship with God. No one else qualifies. Jesus said, “I did not come to call the righteous (good people), but sinners (bad people)” (Matthew 9:13). Jesus can do nothing for folks who think they are righteous (good).

As Jesus hung on a cross 2000 years ago He reached through time and space and literally took on His body every sin of every person who would one day trust Him as Savior and Lord. He was punished by God the Father in our place. He bore the full force of the wrath of God for our sin, every sin!

He rose from the dead three days later to verify His total victory over sin and death. Forty days later He went to heaven. He is alive today and offers every person the gift of total forgiveness, eternal life and a great relationship with Himself now and forever. This is so essential to understand we’re going to list a lot of passages:

6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.
(Isaiah 53:6)

24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross,
(1 Peter 2:24)

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
(Romans 5:8-10)

20 …I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.
21 “I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
(Galatians 2:20-21)

10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”
11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.”
12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.”
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us– for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree “–
14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
(Galatians 3:10-14)

21 He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
(2 Corinthians 5:21)

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
9 For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
(Colossians 2:8-15)

10 …we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
(Hebrews 10:10)

14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And upon their mind I will write them,” He then says,
17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.
(Hebrews 10:14-18)

9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
(1 John 4:9)

5 … Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood,
6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
(Revelation 1:5-6)

The good news is all about what Jesus has done for us. It has nothing to do with us being good enough to earn God’s favor.

The Choice

Trust (surrender to) Jesus as your Savior and Lord and live blown away by His forgiveness and grace. Live absolutely overwhelmed that Jesus took the punishment for every sin you’ve ever committed or will commit and that He loves you more than you’ll ever know.

Therefore, stop (repent from) doing anything that would hinder your relationship with God and start living in a way that will grow your relationship with God. See How to Grow.

Faith in our King produces surrender and obedience to our King.

Don’t kid yourself. If you think you can intellectually believe some facts about Jesus and what He did on the cross and live any way you want, you are in the worst state possible.

19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
(James 2:19)

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock.
25 “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.
26 “And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.
27 “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.”
(Matthew 7:21-27)

The faith that God works in our hearts produces a life of surrender and obedience to Jesus even in the face of opposition. In many places in the world today if a person lives obedient to Jesus they will be persecuted, ostracized and even put to death. Jesus calls them and us to a surrendered life regardless. Trusting and following Jesus is not easy or safe. Jesus includes these words to all those who trust Him.

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves.
17 “But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the courts, and scourge you in their synagogues;
18 and you shall even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 “But when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what you are to speak.
20 “For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21 “And brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 “And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
23 “But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you shall not finish going through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.
25 “It is enough for the disciple that he become as his teacher, and the slave as his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
26 “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
27 “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
28 “And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 “Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.
32 “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
33 “But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.<
35 “For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38 “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
39 “He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it.
(Matthew 10:16-39)

If we place our trust in Jesus we will grow in brokenness over our sin as God gradually shows us more and more of it and how evil it really is. And we will find that we are incapable of obeying God perfectly on even our best days. It’s all about direction as we experience His forgiveness all day long, every day. This life is a growth process.

As we grow in an understanding of our sinfulness, we will grow in understanding the depth of God’s forgiveness and grace.

May you live broken over your sinfulness, blown away by the cross and amazed over the grace, forgiveness and peace of God.

Passages in the Bible about
How to Enter
a Good Relationship with God

In the Bible God has given to us passages specifically written to tell us how we can enter a good relationship with Him. Below are some of those passages with what we hope are some helpful comments.

We encourage you to open your Bible and read the context of each passage (what is written before it and after it) so you interpret the passage in the right flow of thought.

The Bible is, “the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus”
(2 Timothy 3:15)
.

Note: To get to know God accurately, read the Bible, God’s letters to us, verse by verse. Pay close attention to the flow of thought.

We hope our comments are helpful but don’t pay too much attention to our comments. Focus on what God says in the passage.

Before reading ask God to give you understanding.

John 2:23-3:21

This is a real life story about Jesus and a religious teacher who claimed to believe in God. His name was Nicodemus. It is an example of how even religious people can enter into a good relationship with God. This guy seems to know religion is not working for him.

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, beholding His signs which He was doing.
24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men,
25 and because He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man for He Himself knew what was in man.
3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;
2 this man came to Him by night, and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
8 “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not understand these things?
11 “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and you do not receive our witness.
12 “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 “And no one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven, even the Son of Man.
14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
15 that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.
18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 “And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.
20 “For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21 “But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
(John 2:23-3:21)

The Bad News

Just believing some facts about Jesus doesn’t give us a good relationship with God (John 2:23-25). We are not citizens of God’s kingdom if we are not “born again” (John 3:3, John 3:7). We are under God’s judgment if we are not believing in God’s Son (John 3:18). We cannot birth ourselves into God’s family and cannot earn our way into God’s kingdom. Due to our sin and rebellion we are under God’s judgment and heading for hell (John 3:18).

The Good News

God loves us and gave His Son to die for us (John 3:16). Jesus was “lifted up” for us. This means He hung on a cross to be punished for our sins (John 3:14).

The Choice

We need to place our trust in Jesus (John 3:15-18). God gives us new birth and citizenship in His kingdom when we place our trust in Jesus (John 3:16). The type of trust that saves is not just believing some facts about Jesus (John 2:23-25). The evidence of the trust that saves and the evidence that God has given us new birth is we now seek to follow His guidance (John 3:8) and be obedient to His truth (John 3:21).

Acts 2:22-42

In this passage a follower of Jesus named Peter is trying to help a crowd of religious people who have gathered to worship God understand how they can enter into a good relationship with God. Jesus was put to death and resurrected about 50 days earlier.

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know–
23 this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
24 “And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
32 “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.
33 “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.
34 “For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand,
35 Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.”‘
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ– this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 “For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.
40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”
41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
42 And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
(Acts 2:22-42)

The Bad News

Their sin of rejecting Jesus is huge. Our sin of rejecting Jesus is huge as well. Our sin makes us enemies of God (John 2:35) and separates us from God now and forever.

The Good News

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know-
23 this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
24 “And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
(Acts 2:22-24)

Jesus lived a perfect and miraculous life and, as planned before He ever came to the planet, died on a cross to be punished for our sins. By doing so He put “an end to the agony of death”. Death could not hold Jesus and because He paid the penalty of our sins death cannot hold us. Those who repent and trust Jesus will be forgiven for all sin and live with God forever.

55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;
57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
(1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

The Choice

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
(Acts 2:38)

“Repent” means to turn away from rebellion to God and surrender to Jesus as Savior and Lord. Baptism (submersion in water) is a picture of repentance. “…for the forgiveness of your sins”- imagine!…forgiven by God for every act of rebellion and every bad thing one has ever done or will do. To “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” is to receive to free gift of God’s presence.

41 …then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
42 And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
(Acts 2:22-42).
We invite you to do this with us.

Romans 1-4

The first three chapters of Romans focus on how to have a good relationship with God. Chapter four is an illustration of chapters 1-3. It’s about how a guy named Abraham entered a good relationship with God.

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
(Romans 1:16-17)

The Bad News

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them.
25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,
30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
32 and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
2:1 Therefore you are without excuse, every man of you who passes judgment, for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.
3 And do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,
10 but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law; and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law;
13 for not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,
15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
(Romans 1:18-2:16)

The rest of this chapter and the beginning of the next is mostly about the Jewish people and the bad news for them. Let’s pick it up in chapter 3 were God talks to all of us and summarizes the bad news for us all.

9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;
10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17 And the path of peace have they not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God;
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
(Romans 3:9-20)

The Good News and The Choice

21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
31 Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.
(Romans 3:21-31)

The next chapter is an illustration of chapters 1-3. It’s about how a guy named Abraham entered into a good relationship with God.

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God.
3 For what does the Scripture say? “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”
4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due.
5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,
(Romans 4:1-5)

Some Notes about Romans 1-4
The Bad News

Romans 2:6-10 says that if someone were good enough they could have a good relationship with God. But, when we take the time to really think about it, verse 8 describes us better than verse 7.

7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation
(Romans 2:7-8)

From God’s holy, morally pure, perspective the truth is, outside of God’s work in our lives, 3:9-18 describes all of us.

10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”
(Romans 3:10-12)

We cannot be good enough by trying to obey God’s standards. His standards should deeply convict us of our sin. (Note: “The law” refers to the ten commandments and many others).

19Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God;
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
(Romans 3:19-20)

Therefore,
5 …because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who will render to every man according to his deeds.
(Romans 2:5-6)

That’s some really bad news.

The Good News

21 But now apart from the Law (apart from trying to be good or religious enough) the righteousness of God (the quality of goodness we need to be right with God) has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets
22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (we all fall short of going to heaven to be in God’s presence)
24 being justified (pronounced forgiven by God) as a gift (we can’t earn God’s forgiveness. We can only receive it) by His grace (undeserved love) through the redemption (Jesus paying the price of sin to buy us back to God) which is in Christ Jesus (in a relationship with Christ);
25 whom God displayed publicly (on the cross) as a propitiation (Jesus bore the wrath of God on our sins in our place) in His blood (His life) through faith (faith is the only way this gift is received).

This was to demonstrate His righteousness (God cannot overlook sin), because in the forbearance (patience) of God He passed over the sins previously committed (before Jesus came to the planet and paid the penalty of sin);

26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (God is just – all sin must be punished. He is the justifier – God punished Jesus for the sin of those who would trust Him.)
(Romans 3:21-26)

The Choice

Stop trying to earn your way to a good relationship with God. Don’t try to get right with God by being good enough. You’re not that good. Thank Jesus for being punished by God in your place for your sins and place your trust in Jesus.

21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
(Romans 3:21-26)

An evidence of the quality of faith which saves is obedience

31 Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.
(Romans 3:31)

Some passages in the rest of Romans about the evidence of the quality of faith which saves:

1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
(Romans 5:1-6)

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?
2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
(Romans 6:1-2)

Most of chapters six through eight and much of the rest of Romans speak about the outworking of the quality of the faith which saves.

1 Corinthians 15:1-10

1 Corinthians is a letter written to a church in the city of Corinth and to us through a guy named Paul. Paul use to be a terrorist before he trusted Jesus. Paul wants to make sure they and we understand the good news of how to enter a good relationship with God even if we are terrorists.

1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;
7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;
8 and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
(1 Corinthians 15:1-10)

The Bad News

The good news, that “Christ died for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3), implies the bad news. Sin is any disobedience to God’s laws. Consider how horrible my sin must be if God cannot just overlook it and Jesus had to come here to be punished for it.

The Good News

Christ died for our sins
(1 Cor. 15:3)

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross
(1 Peter 2:24)
He was punished for our sins in our place.

The Choice

1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
(1 Corinthians 15:1-2)

The choice we need to make is to hold fast to the word. The word to which we are to hold fast is:

3 “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”
(1 Cor. 15:3-4).

To hold fast means to place our full confidence in Jesus as Savior and risen Lord no matter what.

To believe in vain is to just intellectually believe this good news without living blown away by it resulting in a life surrendered to His will.

The witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection mentioned in this passage faced lives of serious hardship while they shared this good news with others. They had nothing to gain if they were lying except ostracism, persecution and death. None ever recanted. We are called to follow their example.

Ephesians 2:1-10

The first half of the letter written to the church in Ephesus talks about our relationship with God and with each other. In 2:1-10 God wants to make sure we understand how we can have a good relationship with Him.

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus,
7 in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:1-10)

The Bad News

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
(Ephesians 2:1-3)

Every person is dead until God interrupts their lives and gives them life. While dead three forces control our lives: fitting in with others, doing what makes us feel good and, therefore, unwittingly following Satan.

The Good News

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus,
7 in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
(Ephesians 2:4-7)

If you are considering entering a relationship with God this is due to God’s influence on your dead heart. God loves you and wants to fill you with love and life.

The Choice

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:8-10)

A person is given life and saved from death as a gift which cannot be earned. Faith alone is the requirement. The concept of earning salvation is not Biblical. Faith in what? Faith in Jesus as Savior as taught in these words found before and after our passage:

7 In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,
(Ephesians 1:7)

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
(Ephesians 2:13)

10 As a result of the gift of new life we have a new and meaningful lifestyle with Jesus, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:10)

Philippians 3:4-15

This passage is about how a religious guy left religion and entered a good relationship with God. This testimony is found in the third chapter of this short four chapter letter written to the church in Philippi and to us. God wants to make sure we give up religion and trust Jesus so we can have a good relationship with Him.

4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ,
9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
10 that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
(Philippians 3:4-15)

The Bad News

Accomplishments cannot save us, religious, moral or otherwise. Focusing on these accomplishments gives us an arrogance which hinders us from realizing we need a savior for our sins.

4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
(Philippians 3:4-7)

The Good News

God offers to us the gift of a righteousness (goodness) which makes us right with God “which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith”
(Philippians 3:9).

The Choice

We need to see everything we think we’ve done well that gains us good standing with God as a pile of trash. All of it is tainted with sin. The Bible says, “all our righteous deeds are like a filthy rag” (Isaiah 64:6), and buys us nothing with God. We need to trust Jesus and receive, “the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith”(Philippians 3:9).
7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ,
9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
(Philippians 3:7-9)

Our accomplishments can’t make us right with God. Forget that stuff. We need the gift of what Jesus accomplished for us. We receive this gift when we trust Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Earlier in this letter Paul spoke these words about Jesus,

6 “although He (Jesus) existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”
(Philippians 2:6-8).

Jesus was “in the form of God” – eternal, all powerful, all present, outside of space and time.

Jesus had “equality with God” – Jesus is God.

Jesus “emptied Himself” – God who took on human nature and body. He lived a perfect life. He took our sins on His body and died to be punished in our place.

The rest of our passage describes the new passion and focus of our lives having received the gift of forgiveness and righteousness:

10 that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
(Philippians 3:10-15)

Revelation 20:11-15

This scene, recorded in the book of Revelation, has not yet taken place but will happen one day.

11 And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
14 And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
(Revelation 20:11-15)

The Bad News

No one judged by the book of their life (the recording of all their thoughts, attitudes, words and actions) is going to heaven.

The Good News

There is a Book of Life. Everyone who has their name in this book is going to heaven. Jesus purchased us by paying the price for our sins.

9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy art Thou (Jesus) to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10 “And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
(Revelation 5:9-10)

The Choice

You can know your name is written in “The Book of Life” if you trust Jesus as Savior and Lord as seen in all the previous passages.

I just can’t seem to believe. Why?

1 On that day Jesus went out of the house, and was sitting by the sea.
2 And great multitudes gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole multitude was standing on the beach.
3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow;
4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.
5 “And others fell upon the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.
6 “But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 “And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.
8 “And others fell on the good soil, and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
9 “He who has ears, let him hear.”
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11 And He answered and said to them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.
12 “For whoever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him
13 “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 “And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; And you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
15 For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes Lest they should see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I should heal them.’
16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
17 “For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower.
19 “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.
20 “And the one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy;
21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.
22 “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
23 “And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”
(Matthew 13:1-23)

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them.
25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,
30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
32 and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
2:1 Therefore you are without excuse, every man of you who passes judgment, for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.
3 And do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
(Romans 1:18-2:5)

Unbelief is usually not an intellectual problem; it’s a moral choice. The issue is not the evidence, it’s the heart.

What about passages that seem to teach that
we’re saved by being good enough?

Being good enough will give you a good relationship with God and get you into heaven if, indeed, you are good enough. Jesus made it this way. But you’re not that good.

Here are the most misunderstood passages regarding this topic.

Romans 2:6-13

1 Therefore you are without excuse, every man of you who passes judgment, for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.
3 And do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,
10 but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law; and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law;
13 for not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,
15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
(Romans 2:1-16)

This passage seems to teach that if you persevere in doing good you’re in good shape with God. It does. But, the question is, ”does this describe you?” Hint: Consider Romans 3:9-25:

9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin
10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17 And the path of peace have they not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God;
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
(Romans 3:9-25)

The Good News

21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.
(Romans 3:9-20)

Fortunately, Jesus came for sinners.

10 And it happened that as He was reclining at the table in the house, behold many tax-gatherers and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax-gatherers and sinners?”
12 But when He heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.
13 “But go and learn what this means, ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
(Matthew 9:10-13)

Another misunderstood passage is

James 2:14-26

14 What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
18 But someone may well say, “You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.
(James 2:14-23)

The gift of righteousness was given to Abraham in Genesis 15:6, well before the evidence of Abraham’s act of obedience (the justifying or vindicating of His faith) in Genesis 22:9.

24 You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.
(James 2:24)

The word “justified” is used here in the same way Jesus uses it in Matthew 11:19 “…wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” The word translated “vindicated” is the same word translated “justified” each time in James 2.

The word “justified” is used here in James in the same way Paul used it in 1 Timothy 3:16: “And by common confession great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit,…” The word translated “vindicated” is the same word translated “justified” each time in James 2.

The point of the passage: works justify (evidence, vindicate) the quality of faith that saves. Saving faith produces works (obedience).

James says we are saved by an act of God using the good news: In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures.
(James 1:18)

Matthew 6:14-15, 7:21-27 and 25:31-46

Like James’ point, a life of forgiveness, obedience and love, as found in these passages and others, gives evidence of the type of faith that saves. If one is living in disregard for God’s moral laws and without forgiveness and love for others his faith is not the quality of faith which saves. Saving faith is evidenced by faithfulness; spiritual life is evidenced by growth.

Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.
(Romans 3:31)