Most Read Bible Verses---#16---Romans 3:23

Romans 3:23 (NLT)

For all have sinned, all fall short of God’s glorious standard

Some non-believers consider themselves “good people” and, as such, they believe that they are acceptable to God.  These folks are not aware of this verse (or simply don’t believe it).  The Bible is clear; every single person who ever has lived has sinned.  Even babies have sinned, not because of certain acts, but because of the sin nature of all humans.  The sin nature of humans is taught in Romans 5:12 and Romans 8:6-8.  Furthermore, Romans 6:23 states that sin leads to death (spiritual although could be physical).  The sinful nature of mankind is not something to joke about.

What is “sin nature”?  We can see sin nature evolve with our children from birth.  Has anyone ever had a child who never lied?  Has anyone ever seen a child who was not selfish?  These are just two examples of our sin nature.  Sin is described in the Bible as transgression of the law of God (I John 3:4) and rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7; Joshua 1:18). 

What is God’s glorious standard?  The word “glory” means a display of God’s divine attributes and perfections.  God’s glorious standard is perfection.  Is any human being perfect?  Would any human really believe that he/she is perfect?  Delusional beings, perhaps, but no rational person would think of himself as perfect, yet that is the standard of God.  Jesus said in Matthew 5:48 that “you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”.  On your own, you cannot be perfect, but through Christ, you can and are made perfect in the eyes of God! 

Christmas reveals the heart of God.  God was willing to take the form of a man to die a substitutionary death on the cross so that sinful man could be reconciled with a glorious God.  Without Christmas we all would never make the goal, never have hope, never make it to heaven, never see the glory of God.

You’ve heard this before, but let’s say it again……..what would this world be like without Jesus?  What if Jesus had never come?  Think of what your life would be like without Jesus?  Give thanks that all these questions are rhetorical.

      

Most Read Bible Verses---#17---John 14:6

John 14:6 (NLT)

Jesus told him “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one can come to the Father except through Me.” 

Other than John 3:16, John 14:6 might be the most frequently quoted and used verse in the entire Bible.  These two verses are the cornerstones of the Christian faith as they both focus on Jesus being the Son of God and that He is the only way to the Father and the only One through whom humankind can have eternal life.  Of course, many religions dispute and refute these claims of Christ.  It is up to every individual soul to examine these claims of Christ and decide whether or not to believe them.

John 14 starts with Jesus telling His disciples about His departure from this life.  His statements in John 14:1-3 give great hope about heaven and eternal life.  Then in verse 4 He tells His disciples that they know where He is going.  Jesus made this statement as a reply to His disciple, Thomas (doubting Thomas), when Thomas said, “No, Lord, we don’t know where You are going, how do we know the way?”  Good ol’ “doubting Thomas”!  Without him, we would not have answers like John 14:6 (Thomas also doubted that Jesus was resurrected until He saw the wounds of Christ from the cross and then exclaimed “My Lord and My God”—John 20:25-28).

Jesus reply to Thomas makes three claims about Himself.  First, to answer Thomas’ specific question, He says “I am the way”.  He is the way to salvation that leads to the Father and the Father’s house (John 14:2).  Second, He is the truth that means not only that He does not ever lie, but also that He is The Word that John speaks about in John 1:1 and 1:14 and all His promises and all His statements are true.  Third, He is the life that is connected to His earlier statement in John 11:25 that He alone is the source of eternal life to all other human beings.

In Mere Christianity (HarperCollins, 1952) C.S. Lewis wrote on page 50: “A car is made to run on petrol (gasoline).  It would not run properly on anything else.  Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself.  He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on.  There is no other.  That is why it is just no good asking God to make you happy in your own way without bothering about religion.  God cannot give you happiness and peace apart from Himself because it is not there.  There is no such thing.”

Thousands of pages of books have explored the meaning of these three claims of Christ.  However, they boil down to you either believing Him and His claims or not.  What do you believe?  Is there any doubt in your mind and heart that Jesus is not who He claims to be?  He is the way to salvation, He is the truth of God, and He alone provides abundant life on earth and eternal life in heaven.  Reflect for the rest of the day on these great truths.

Most Read Bible Verses---#18---Romans 5:8

Romans 5:8 (NLT)

But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners

When you think of the love of God, what comes to your mind?  We are limited by our finite minds and experiences to comprehend the true meaning of God’s love.  There are no conditions placed on God's love for us.  God’s love does not depend on you doing all you can to become good.  He doesn’t promise to send Christ if you promise to love Him; in fact God sent His Son while you were still in your sins.  God’s love for us has always existed.  His love is so great that He initiated the act required to reconcile sinful mankind with His holiness and perfection.  He did all the giving and sacrificing long before we were even aware that we needed His love.

God’s love is very different from human love.  Read I Corinthians 13 again for the model of God’s love.  God's love is unconditional and not dependent on feelings.  He doesn't love us because we're lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love. He created us to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son who willingly died for us to restore that relationship.

Earlier in Romans (3:23) Paul wrote that we all are sinners and fall short of the glory of God.  The Bible is very clear that there is no human being ever in the history of mankind that was sinless…..except Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:21).  Yet, despite all mankind being sinful, God still loved His human creation so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins (John 3:16).   

With this seemingly unreal truth in mind, how can you not love God for what He has done and share that love with others?  How can you not tell others who do not know Christ as Savior what this love of God really means?