(Sorry I've been gone for a few weeks. It's been busy lately.)
So today I want you to imagine a trial. A man is accused of robbing a bank with a partner and killing 2 guards. There is overwhelming evidence, including security footage, witness reports, and the confession of the partner, that the man is guilty. When the trial comes the man pleads guilty before the judge, but the man claimed he should be set free. The judge then asks him what justified the man robbing the bank. "I wanted the money I deserved for all the work I've done in my life", said the man" but before you judge, remember all the good civil service I've done. I've never gotten a speeding ticket, helped out in the community, I've even been going to the Catholic church down the street for the past 10 years! I'm not a bad man, I just felt I deserved the money." The judge sentences the man to life in prison.
So in the completely hypothetical case above we have a man who committed a crime which resulted in the death of two men. The man was obviously guilty, but he justified his actions by saying all the good things he had done previously.
Now let's consider another situation. Let's say we had laws written down in a book that we must follow or else we were to be punished. Now let's say all men broke these rules because it was in their nature to do so. Man rejected these rules because they thought they knew better. Now at the end of each person's life, there was a trial. The trial determined whether the people should be allowed to live in Peace and Perfection, or be punished for all eternity for their crimes. Each person was tried before a throne. And every crime that was ever done by the person was brought up, the person has no choice but to plead guilty. When the judge asks for justification of these actions what will man say? Are they justified by their good works? no. Good works are fine, but they can't save a person from the deserved punishment for the crimes they did. The only thing that could possibly save this person is a pardon, something that says all the blame shall be taken from the person.
Now the situation above is a true representation of what the Bible tells us will happen. The books that contains the law is the Bible. We will all be judged before God someday, and no man can save himself from judgment he deserves. But luckily we DO have a pardon. A perfect man, the Son of God, came down to earth, lived a perfect life, and then died, taking all our crime and sins on himself in that act. He presented himself as a pardon for our crimes.The Bible says "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."1 John 2:2
Through him alone may we be justified. But a pardon must be accepted. so we must accept Jesus' sacrifice for him to take effect. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."1 John 1:9
Romans 3:22-28
English Standard Version (ESV)
22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
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