Acceptance through good works, is a belief system of people of different religions, that too, even among some sects of Christians. Hence many people go all the way to visit pilgrim places, pay vows and offerings as they believe they could rid them of their sins and make them acceptable before God. But this is far from true in the light of GOD’s Word—one can be justified only by faith in Christ Jesus! 

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Alexander III was Tsar of Russia from 1881-1894 whose rule was marked by tyranny and in particular to persecuting Jews. But his wife, Maria Fedorovna, stood in stark contrast to him, being known for her kindness to people in need. Once, her husband signed a directive condemning a prisoner to exile, for life. It read simply: “Pardon impossible, to be sent to Siberia.” Maria changed that prisoner’s life by moving the comma in her husband’s order: she simply altered it to “Pardon, impossible to be sent to Siberia.” (story: adapted). 

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Now look at this: In Christ, God has changed the comma that stood against us. From “Pardon impossible, send to hell” comes the good news of salvation: “Pardon, impossible to send to hell!”

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The Law given through Moses could not make anyone perfect because even if one could keep all of them but fail in one, he would still fall short of God’s standard (James 2:10). By the law one becomes conscious of sin but by the works of the law no one can be justified (Rom.3:20). The same applies to any religion that is legalistic in nature- trying to win the approval of God through a rigid way of life or doing “good works” to compensate the bad, with a false notion that it would erase all of your sin is far from the truth!! GOD has made only one provision for the remission of sin- the blood of Jesus Christ that can cleanse us from all sin (1John 1:9).

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How do we become justified before a Holy GOD, who cannot tolerate sin? The way is through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ whose shed blood is sufficient for the remission of our sin. “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.” (Rom.3:25). It is by coming to Him in repentance and faith- believing GOD will forgive and accept you and me through Jesus Christ. There is no other way to be justified before a Holy GOD!

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Jesus Christ is GOD’s free provision of becoming justified (made right) in His sight- that’s His grace and not our merit. Wouldn’t we be better off accepting His free offer of salvation on His terms or else, “…how shall we escape, if we ignore such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3). 

Think on:

“…knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”

-Galatians 2:16