What do you think of when you think of God? More specifically, what thoughts come to mind concerning approaching God in any way?

Does it amaze you that you can approach God at all? It does me let me tell you. How about the fact that we are saved by God, is this not amazing?

There are many who dispute Jesus is God. There are many who try to save themselves. There are many who think they can live a life that pleases God with no need for a relationship with Jesus, thank you very much. All these people are wrong, not maybe…they are wrong, end of story.

What standard are we to attain according to God? This is Jesus speaking here, Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus says we need to be perfect, I am sure that I need His help on that one. So, to approach God we need to be perfect; automatic fail for each and every one of us!

Perfect, no sin…not even one. There is no way we can do that. But there is One who did it for us. Many there are who write about the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ to pay for our sins, and well they should. But what about Jesus living a perfect life for us? We cannot hope to live a perfect life, that which is required to approach a Holy and Perfect God. Jesus lived a blameless and perfect life for us! This is part of what qualified Jesus to be the sacrificial Lamb of God.

While we were yet the enemies of God, He laid down His own life that we may have life with Him. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We are not expected to live this life alone either without help, God provides even for this.

Romans 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

So God saves us from ourselves, and then gives us aid and comfort…even when we continue to make a mess of life. How awesome is that?

God made a way for us to come to Him through Jesus. No amount of good works is going to accomplish anything in God’s eyes. Your good works as they relate to salvation mean nothing!

Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

We can be forgiven our sins, we can be saved from certain death and I do not mean physical death, spiritual death…the second death. This is pretty serious; the real life begins after we die…eternal life. Where do you want to spend it, the choice is yours.

The problem is that we can do absolutely nothing to earn our salvation…nothing. Some think they can and truly believe this. This is an outright lie perpetuated by Satan…many are those will find themselves in hell because they trusted in themselves and not Jesus Christ. It does not matter at all how good you are, if you trust in yourself or some other god, you will wind up in hell.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

We have been saved through grace, God’s grace…in the form of Jesus Christ offering up His life on the cross and the grace of the Father in allowing it to happen.

This grace saves us through our faith, faith in Jesus Christ that He will do what He said He would do…Give us eternal life and raise us up again at the last day as He was raised up after death.

This grace of God that saves through faith in the Son…it is a gift. Therefore you cannot earn it by good works or any other way…or it would cease to be a gift, gifts are given not earned.

Since it is a gift, no one can boast…hey look at me and what I did!! We can do nothing to earn salvation, but God wants us to be sure we understand that this is His gift to us. And since Eternal life is a gift…we do not owe God for it either. Jesus paid the price, and we receive the blessings of His payment on our behalf. Besides…does anyone really think they could pay God for giving us life? Pay with what??? He is perfect and needs nothing, what are you going to give Him?

Serve God and do your best for Him, He gave His best for you and I, but…

Don’t deal with perfection…Jesus took care of that for you.