If we are to have a relationship with God, Christ has made it possible. In fact, without His sacrifice, you would be unable to experience it.
While I know that contradicts everything we have been taught to believe since our earliest years, you must comprehend that you couldn’t do this alone. You have been taught that you can be whatever you want to be if you work hard enough. I know you have heard that if you just put your mind to whatever you desire, you can figure it out. You can achieve anything with just dedicated effort.
You may can do a lot, but you can’t do the most important thing. You cannot achieve a relationship with God on your own. Why? Because we were helpless. God didn’t ask us to do better; He did what we could not do. He made the way for a relationship with God. How did He do it? He died for ungodly people.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6-8
The Apostle Paul is not helping our self-esteem issues in this passage. He has called us helpless, ungodly, and sinners. I want to believe that I can help myself, that I’m godly enough, and that I’m plagued with conditions rather than suffering from my decisions. If you think about it, we don’t have a self-esteem issue; self-esteem is what causes us to sin in the first place. We need more Christ-esteem than self-esteem.
Even though we are weak and inadequate in doing what is necessary, Christ didn’t run away. He actually ran toward the cross. He was willing to die. If you have ever wanted someone to prove their love for you, look no further than Calvary. “God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
You don’t have to prove yourself to God. Your attempts only reveal how helpless you are. Instead of trying to earn God’s love today, revel in the fact that you already have it and can trust it remains due to the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
