For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. —Romans 3:28
The Bible teaches us that man is inherently impure. We are tainted both by the sin of our hearts and the world in which that we live. Because of this, we do not deserve a place in Heaven. In Romans 3:23, Paul the apostle noted, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Even non-Christian sources have documented the wicked ways of the human race. The ancient Greeks, for example, recognized our shortcomings when Aristotle wrote that there was “no good in mankind.” Our tarnished nature can be traced back to a single mistake in the Garden of Eden and the first example of the devil’s trickery. Once Adam and Eve ate the apple, they were removed from the Garden. At the same time, they fell from God’s grace. From that moment forward, it should have been impossible for people to earn a place in Heaven. An eternal home still is unobtainable without the help of Jesus Christ. The only reason that he had to sacrifice his perfect life was so imperfect beings like us could earn grace. As Christians know, it is only through accepting his oblation that we become destined for eternity. Still, many people in the church seem to think that our deeds increase our favor with the Lord. They don’t. We could never perform enough service to undo our own sins. It is important to reach out and contribute within our communities, but it
is not enough. Today, make sure you’re not neglecting your personal relationship with God through your deeds. Our first priority must be loving and serving Him. Helping others is a great thing to do, but only if your motivations are for His glory and not your own.
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