Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What do you think about when you look at yourself in the mirror? Do you see a person who is righteous and perfect? Do you tell yourself how wonderful and amazing you are like the Saturday Night Live's Stuart Smalley skit and his Daily Affirmation? "I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!"
Sadly, many people live and think and believe that they are good enough - even for heaven. Well, I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, if this is you, but you're not, and never will be good enough for heaven!
If we are good enough, then Jesus would have never had to come to earth and die to forgive us our sins. It was by this act of love, grace and mercy that we can be forgiven of our sins, which demand the penalty of our death - physically and spiritually.
This is how bad our sin is folks. Many may not realize this. They may not see just how treacherous our sin really is, and live life thinking they are good enough. When sin entered the heart of man, the stain it leaves is condemnation to us all.
When God gave the commandment to Adam and Eve that they could eat of any tree in the garden, except the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They did not know what evil was. They only knew what they had, and were given by God was good. There was no pride or ego in them. They had a pure and prefect relationship and dependency on God.
Genesis 2:15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
When the serpent, Satan, tempted Eve to eat from the tree, she said God told them that they would surely die - meaning to die a physical death. But Satan twisted what God told them they would not die, but that they their eyes would be opened, and they would be like God.
What God really said and meant was that this sin would bring an end of a physical and spiritual life, eternally separated from God.
The original sin destroyed man's relationship with God. And each one of us born from then on, have to contend with this sinful nature. However, God, in His great love, mercy and grace, made it possible for us to be reconciled back to Him through the life, death, and resurrection of His only Son, Christ Jesus.
By His blood alone, by grace through faith, we will ever be declared, "good enough." Not of what we do or have done, but by what Christ alone has done.
How bad is sin? It's so bad that without Christ, you will surely die, no matter how good you think you are.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tom
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