“No one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.” (Rom.3:20)
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Rom.3:23-24)
Indeed, only Jesus is “our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.” Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.” (1Cor.1:30-31).
Lord Jesus, there are several things I am not as certain about as I used to be. Some of my old dogma and beliefs were just flat-out wrong theology, Scripture distortions, and personal and national idolatries. But I am more certain than ever about the Gospel—the Good News of who you are and what you have accomplished for us that we might have relationship with God and eternal life.
Question and Answer 60 of the Heidelberg Catechism summarize the true Gospel as well as any words that have been thought, penned, or preached:
Question: “How are you right with God?”
Answer: “Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments and of never having kept any of them, and even though I am still inclined toward all evil, nevertheless, without my deserving it at all, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me. All I need to do is to accept this gift of God with a believing heart.”
Hallelujah a gazillion times over! Jesus, focus, free, and fuel us to spend the rest of our lives surveying, studying, savoring, and sharing the truth, goodness and beauty of the Gospel. It’s all that really matters for you, yourself are the Gospel, Lord Jesus. So Very Amen.
