Ungodliness is MY KEY Qualification!!

I don't know about you, but when I take time out for self-evaluation and heart evaluation (like I've been sharing in the last few posts), it always makes me feel very sad because I realize how ungodly I am…and it makes me wonder how Christ can save me! (Does anyone identify??) 

However, while this sin-awareness can be discouraging for all of us, it's really great news…because Christ is finally bringing us to the point that He truly CAN save us. Let me explain. 

Ok…so this may sound a bit strange, and hopefully I don't twist Biblical doctrine here (if I do, please speak up), but let me share a simple concept that AT Jones shares in his book "Lessons on Faith." I believe this is Biblical and it really brings the point of all these heart-evaluations home. (This may seem complex, but it's really NOT, so stick with me here!)

I could try to re-phrase all his thoughts, but this is so profound, I'm just going to quote directly.

"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Rom. 4:5

This is the only way that anybody in this world can ever become righteous: first admit that he is ungodly; then believe that God justifies (or counts righteous) the ungodly, and he is righteous with the very righteousness of God.

Of course, everyone in the world is ungodly. "Ungodly" means to be "unlike God." And it is written, "All have sinned and come short of the glory [the goodness, the character] of God." Romans 3:9-18 goes on to tell us that there is not ONE (that means no one!) that does good, no not one! Isa 64:6 tells us that even our righteous good works are as filthy rags. (In other words, no matter how hard we try, we can never produce righteousness of ourselves.)

Thus strange as it may sound, the only qualification, and the only preparation, for justification is for a person to acknowledge that he is ungodly. Then, having such qualification, having made such preparation, all that is required of him to obtain justification, full, free, and sure, is to believe that God justifies him, the ungodly one.

It is quite easy for many to believe that they are ungodly, and even to acknowledge it; but for them to believe that God justifies them - that is too much. And the sole reason why they cannot believe that God justifies them, is that they are ungodly, oh so ungodly.

If only they could find some good in themselves, or if only they could straighten up and do better, they might have some courage and hope that God could justify them. Yes, they would justify themselves by WORKS, and then profess to believe in justification by faith. (Ouch! Did you catch that??)

But that would only take away all ground for justification; for if a man can find good in himself, he has it already, and does not need it from anywhere else. If he can straighten up and do better himself, he does not need justification from anywhere else…let alone God. It is therefore, a contradiction in terms to say that I am so ungodly that I do not see how the Lord can justify me. For if I am NOT ungodly, I do not need to be made righteous: I am righteous. There is no half-way ground between godliness and ungodliness.

But when a person sees himself so ungodly as to find there no possible ground of hope for justification, it is just there that faith comes in; indeed it is only faith that can possible come in. For faith is dependence on the Word of God only. So long as there is any dependence on himself, so long as there is any conceivable ground of hope for any dependence upon anything in or about himself, there can be no faith! (The above thoughts came from Lessons on Faith, p. 25-26)

Christ came to justify the ungodly?? Do we believe it, or will we continue to insist on trying to justify* ourselves? (Hmmmmm…..have a good thought about this!!!!)

This is so simple, yet soooo profound that most of the Christian world is skipping right over it! (And I have to admit, that I often have as well.) But God came to save sinners! Praise the Lord. That means He came for me, He came for YOU!!!!! He doesn't come to leave me or you a sinner though… and that's a topic for another day! ;-)    

Review:

• Bible Thought: God came to justify the ungodly, not righteous. Do we qualify or don't we?
• Blessing: Well, for once, although I don't want to stay ungodly, I'm glad I meet the qualification, because otherwise, I'd be left behind when He comes to take His justified righteous home! :-)
• Battles: My battle, to believe and live that belief in FAITH!

*Important note: Justification and Sanctification are two separate things, not to be confused. Let me clarify. We do have a work to do… that's Sanctification. But that comes as a result of what Christ has done for us, it is NOT what saves us. To "justify" means to set free from the penalty and condemnation of sin. Restated, it is the act of God whereby humankind is made or accounted just, or free from guilt or penalty of sin. We have NO PART in this, it is given us as a free gift. But until we realize our NEED of it, we do not repent, come in brokenness of spirit, and ask for it. And thus, we do not receive it. (That's why I often challenge people to do heart-evaluations, as we forget what sinners we are. We grow accustomed to living in an atmosphere of sin, and we get comfortable. And we need to be awakened out of our lethargy and start repenting (as John the Baptist urged people to do in Jesus do) and go to our Savior. Unless we realize we NEED a Savior, we won't have one! Once we are justified by faith alone, the process of Sanctification begins, and that is the work of a lifetime. In response to what Christ has done for us, we seek to obey Him, honor Him, love Him, follow Him. And our life and works should testify to this. (But even this process can only be accomplished in Him.) 

Oh my… such deep topics that theologians have spent years discussing this. Hopefully I haven't made it too complicated. Just wanted to clarify why I've shared what I have, and that as we see ourselves as sinners, that's actually good news, because the Holy Spirit is revealing our sins (He comes to reprove the world of sin - John 16) and now He can make us into new Creatures in Him, and prepare us for Heaven!!! There will be no SIN in Heaven. But we can't expect to be made righteous instantly when we get to Heaven. Our heart and desires and tastes won't change then if we don't allow Him to change them now!!! He's preparing us even here, right NOW today…to live in Heaven. (More long topics for another day!)