Saving Grace

Easter is fast approaching and another phrase for the ultimate saving grace is known as "72 Hours that Rocked the World". The author, Ron Hutchcraft, is also the author of A Word with You, a daily devotional that is rich and profound in every sense of the words, some I have shared on here before. Along the same lines of what I had to say here, I felt strongly about what Ron Hutchcraft had to say on the subject in "How Nice People Miss Heaven."
The verdict of God on all of us rings down through the ages in our word for today from the Word of God. It's Romans 3:10 and then 3:23. God Himself says: "There is no one righteous, not even one." That's "righteous" by His standard of perfection. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We all fall short. I do. You do. Speaking of our best efforts to be good, God says in Romans 3:20, "No one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin."
God's standards are to show us how much we need Jesus. Think of the cumulative effect of all the times in your life that you've told less than the truth - you broke the commandment about bearing false witness; all the times you did less than honor your parents - you blew off the commandment to honor your father and mother. Think about all the times you've had lustful thoughts. Jesus said when we do, we mentally violate the commandment against "committing adultery." Think of all the selfish things, the proud things that have been, in God's eyes, violating His commandment to "have no other gods before Me."
But here's the good news. Romans 3:21 announces that God is ready to give you - now here's the word: "...a righteousness from God, apart from the law...through faith in Jesus Christ." That's because Jesus died to cancel from God's records every sin of every day of your life; erased by the blood He shed for those sins. "Faith in Jesus Christ" means telling Jesus that you're pinning all your hopes on Him and Him alone. You're going to drop your sin so you can grab Him with both hands as your personal rescuer from your personal sin. Then, at the gates of heaven, you'll walk in because you belong to Jesus. He's the only One who measures up, and you're with Him. I pray that today you'll make the move from being religious to being rescued. If you're ready to get this settled, tell Jesus that right now. "Lord, You are my only hope. I am Yours. You died for the sin that I could never pay for with all my goodness."
If there was any way you could measure up to get into God's heaven, believe me, Jesus would not have hung on that cross. There is no way except Him. Today the Savior can become your Savior.