For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. Romans 10:3 (NLT)
Until we understand the Gospel, we’ll struggle to experience true and lasting peace. The reason is that we misunderstand sin and think we can become right with God through our works. That mindset is called religion, and it leads nowhere good.
In fact, those who subscribe to a legalistic Christianity are usually the unhappiest people. Why? They don’t understand the freedom Jesus won for them through His death, burial and resurrection. So they live stuck in a rut of trying to be good enough in their own strength—an impossible, miserable task!
You see, we have no way to resolve sin ourselves. We can’t just push it away, think it into oblivion or sweep it under the rug. What’s the solution?
We have to understand that there is nothing we can do to earn right-standing with God. It’s a free gift we receive when we place our faith in Jesus’ obedience and victory over sin.
I love the way Romans 5:1 (TPT) puts it: “Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us, and he now declares us flawless in his eyes. This means we can enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us.”
The good news of the Gospel is that we don’t have to be good enough for God. Jesus was! When you believe in Him and confess Him as your Lord and Saviour it makes you right with God. Meditate to appreciate that revelation fully, and you’ll enjoy His peace like never before!