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The Gospel of John

People say many different things about Jesus - but what does Jesus say about Himself?  To learn more, click below:

The Gospel of John

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How Can I Be Right With God?

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Can We Be Right with God?

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     It is hard to imagine a more important question than this.  It is a question each and every one of us needs to be able to answer with certainty.  In the big picture, other concerns are not on the same plane.  We spend most of our lives bogged down and distracted with less important questions; how to get a good job, where to live, who to marry, which house to buy, how to address health problems, how to achieve personal goals, how to deal with relationship difficulties, how to handle financial problems...etc.

     These issues are certainly very important, but they are not worthy to be compared to the seriousness of our relationship with God.  Of all the concerns we may ever deal with, this is the one that really matters -  this is the one issue that has ramifications forever and ever.  We may make good choices in many other important areas of life, but in the end, where we stand with God will completely overshadow everything else.  Jesus put it this way:

"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?"  (Mark 8:36)

     If we are not right with God, then we are in serious trouble, no matter how well or bad our life may seem to be going at any given point in time.  No matter what we may be struggling with in life, this is the one question that underlies every other concern.  Can we be right with God?  Ultimately, this needs to become a more personal and practical question - how can I be right with God?

     How can I be right with God?

     In order to answer this question, we must first have a basic understanding of who God is, and what He is like.  We need to be willing to set aside natural assumptions and prevailing presumptions about God.

     God has revealed Himself to be good - in the very essence of who He is.  But God's goodness is not like the goodness we often attribute to people.  We may describe someone as being a "good person."  But even while making this kind of statement, we are aware that this is only a general statement - a relative designation in contrast to others who may not seem so good.  God is the only one who is truly good.  Jesus stated this plainly:

"No one is good except God alone." (Luke 18:19b)

     God's goodness is pure goodness, with no imperfection whatsoever.  The purity of His goodness demands final and perfect justice.  God's goodness is in perfect alignment with truth.  This is made clear when Moses asked God to show him His glory.  God declared His goodness to Moses in a fundamental statement of His character in the book of Exodus:

"The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindess and truth; who keeps lovingkindess for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished..." (Exodus 34:6b-7a)

     To be right with God requires measuring up to what His righteousness demands - anything less results in inevitable punishment.  

     How can I be right with God? 

     The important issue is that of personal guilt.  Who is guilty?  Am I personally guilty? How guilty am I?  God has not left us to wonder about where each of us personally stand in relation to our Creator:

"The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.  They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one." 
(Psalm 14:2-3)

"Indeed there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins."  (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

"...There is none righteous, not even one."  (Romans 3:10)

​"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." 
​(Romans 3:23)

     Though we may not see ourselves as being guilty before God - He obviously does - and it is His perspective that counts.  Even more importantly, we are unable on our own to do anything to make our guilt go away.  On our own, it is our guiltiness that dominates our relationship to God.  

"Behold, the Lord's hand is not so short that it cannot save, neither is His ear so dull that it cannot hear.

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear." (Isaiah 59:1-2)

     We have no means of our own whatsoever to erase our guiltiness.  There are endless ways that we may attempt to make ourselves right before God - but it is a hopeless undertaking, no matter how sincere, and how much effort is made.

"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?  Then you also can do good who are accustomed to do evil."  (Jeremiah 13:23)

"...and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment..." 
​(Isaiah 64:6)

     We may try our best to do what is right, but our efforts will never be enough.  That is the primary reason God revealed His righteous standard in the law He gave through Moses.  By demonstrating His holiness in the law, God provided the means by which each and every one of us could clearly see our personal guiltiness before Him.

"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;

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)

     Our personal plight is as serious as it is hopeless in trying to make ourselves right with God.  Jesus said that He will one day come again to judge the world in righteousness.  He said that those who are still guilty when He comes:

"...will go away into eternal punishment,"  (Matthew 25:46)

     At this point we should be able to personally relate to the hopeless frustration of the Lord's disciples on one occasion when they exclaimed:

"...Then who can be saved?"  (Matthew 19:25b)

     Or with Job when he asked;

"But how can a man be in the right before God?"  (Job 9:2b)

     I can be right with God.

     In the riches of God's mercy, He has made it possible for even sinners like you and me to be right with our Creator.  He has made it possible - there is no other way.  In response to the disciples desperate question - "Then who can be saved?" - Jesus made a most encouraging reply; 

"with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  (Matthew 19:26)

     God sent His own Son into this sin-cursed world for the very purpose of taking away our guilt.  It is not a partial or temporary fix.  It is not a merely symbolic or figurative renovation.  It is not merely a mental or psychological rejuvenation.  It is not found in a religious form or formula.  It is a genuine and completely adequate remedy for our sin.  

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

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8)

"and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."  (1 Peter 2:24)

     The only way for us to be right with God, is to put our trust in Jesus alone.  

"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." 
​(John 3:16)

"Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law; since by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:16)

     I can know I am right with God!

     God's provision for sinners is fully and forever adequate.  It is the only real remedy for sin - and it is totally sufficient.  It is offered to all who will come to the Lord Jesus.

"For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved."  (Romans 10:13)

     On the assurance of God's Word, I can be certain that I am right with God, both now and for eternity, having no confidence in myself, but full assurance in Jesus.  

"He who believes in the Son has eternal life..."  ( John 3:36)

"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life." 
​(1 John 5:13)

     When Jesus was raised from the dead, God confirmed His provision for our sin as being fully and forever adequate.  Those who knew Jesus best were convinced that through His sacrifice they could be sure that they were right with God - and so can we.





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