Man's Need of a Savior

The Pursuit of Perfection

In a world that often celebrates "good enough," we're confronted with a sobering truth: good isn't good enough when it comes to eternity. While we may strive to be decent people, make moral choices, and live upright lives, there's a fundamental flaw in our human condition that prevents us from achieving the perfection God demands.

It's a hard pill to swallow, isn't it? The idea that no matter how hard we try, we'll always fall short of God's glory. As Jeremiah 17:9-10 reminds us, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."

This passage paints a stark picture of our inner selves. Our hearts, which we often trust to guide us, are described as utterly corrupt and deceitful. It's a sobering reminder that we cannot rely on our feelings or impressions to lead us to righteousness. In fact, it's often our hearts that lead us astray, manufacturing idols that we place above God.

So if we can't trust our hearts, and we can't achieve perfection through our actions, where does that leave us? The Bible doesn't mince words on this matter. Ecclesiastes 7:20 states, "Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins." And James 2:10 drives the point home: "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it."

One slip, one sin, one mistake – that's all it takes to disqualify us from entering heaven. It's not about the magnitude of our sins or how they compare to others. As Romans 3:23 clearly states, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Whether we're talking about Hitler or the kindest, most charitable grandmother, the fundamental problem remains the same – we've all fallen short of God's perfect standard.

This realization can be deeply unsettling. If God demands perfection and we're incapable of delivering it, what hope do we have? It's here, in this moment of despair, that the true beauty of the gospel shines through.

Enter Jesus Christ – the perfect one, the Messiah, God's gift to all of humanity. Through Him, we can obtain the righteousness that eludes us. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 beautifully puts it, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

This is the crux of the gospel message. It's not about our ability to be good enough or to clean up our act. It's about recognizing our need for a Savior and putting our faith in Jesus Christ. John 3:16 encapsulates this truth: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

The story of Jeffrey Dahmer, the infamous serial killer, serves as a powerful illustration of this truth. While his crimes were heinous beyond measure, it's said that Dahmer came to faith in Christ while in prison. If this account is true, it challenges our understanding of grace and salvation. It's not about the magnitude of our sins or the goodness of our deeds – it's about our recognition of our need for Christ and our faith in Him.

This truth liberates us from the endless cycle of trying to earn our way into heaven. It frees us from the fear that our past mistakes might keep us from God's love. Jesus has already paid the price for all sin, for all time. The only thing that can keep us out of heaven is unbelief.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus expanded our understanding of sin, equating hatred in the heart with murder and lust with adultery. While these inner transgressions may not have the same earthly consequences as their physical counterparts, they reveal the true state of our hearts before God. Even if we've never committed a "major" sin, our inner thoughts and desires reveal our fallen nature.

So where does this leave us? It leaves us at the foot of the cross, recognizing our desperate need for a Savior. It leaves us marveling at the depth of God's love, that He would provide a way for imperfect beings like us to be reconciled to Him. It leaves us with a choice – to put our faith in Christ and receive His righteousness, or to continue relying on our own insufficient goodness.

As we navigate this world, may we remember that our mission isn't to debate the relative goodness of people or to focus on specific sins. Our calling is to help others understand that while we all fall short of God's perfection, there is hope in Jesus Christ. He is the perfect one, the only door to the perfection required for heaven.

If you're reading this and feeling the weight of your imperfection, take heart. Your past mistakes, your current struggles, your future uncertainties – none of these can separate you from God's love if you put your trust in Christ. It's not about what you've done or what you might do. It's about believing in what Jesus has already done for you.

In a world that often leaves us feeling not good enough, may we find comfort and hope in the perfection of Christ. May we rest in the knowledge that through Him, we can stand before God, not in our own righteousness, but clothed in His. And may this truth transform not just our eternal destiny, but our daily lives, filling us with gratitude, humility, and love for the One who made a way when there seemed to be no way.

https://tricitybaptistna.org/media/jqw8hkb/man-s-need-of-a-savior-week-2