Romans 3

No one will be declared righteous by upholding the law. 


That's easy to say, but hard to accept. We work so hard to earn something we can never afford. God holds all the cards. He always has. In his love and mercy and patience He extended His grace to us at the highest price imaginable. It seems like two common things I see people struggling to accept are both in this chapter. Either people are proud and don't think they are a sinful person. Or they think they aren't good enough and must wrork hard enough to earn righteousness. Both I think come from the same faulty misunderstanding. We don't really have a full realization of what it means that God is holy. We don't get what perfect and awesome and righteous really means. What do we know of holy?

Take a look at us:

"There is no one righteous, not even one;
      there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
 All have turned away, they have together become worthless;
   there is no one who does good, not even one.
  ...and the way of peace they do not know.
    There is no fear of God before their eyes."


Now take a look at Him:
Watch this.