But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness..(Romans 4:5)

For those of you reading this who don’t know, “work,” in this verse is referring to our own religious efforts to gain righteousness or favor with God. God is not looking to see who is the most religious, who did more good deeds, who fed the hungry or gave the most money to the poor. No matter how many good deeds you do you can never do enough to earn favor with God. The chapter that the above scripture comes from begins like this:

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. (Romans 4:1-4)

God is trying to get this point across to you. There is nothing you can do to earn righteousness. You can’t earn your way into Heaven. But He does want to give it to you. All He requires is your faith. He wants you to believe Him. There will be no one in heaven who got there because of their good works. No one will be in Heaven for killing infidels, non-Christian, baptist, Catholics, or anyone else.

David writes in the book of Psalms…

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit. (psalms 32:1,2 )

The sin of man was to go his own way. A way that leads away from God. A way that says we don’t need God and, we don’t trust Him. In the garden of Eden God had provided everything that Adam and Eve needed. He gave them one instruction about one tree. Then a serpent came along and deceived them the bible says and, they let go of what God had told them. They didn’t trust Him. The issue seems to be the same today. Men and women trying to reconnect to God in their own way rather than accept the grace of God.

The devil, through the serpent, told them a lie.

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Adam and Eve did surely die – Spiritually and physically. They did know good and evil but, they were not like God. God has never committed an evil act. He has never sinned nor can He be in presence of sin. Their sin separated them from the creator and man has been going his own way ever since.

The Lord has made a way for all of us to be reconciled and made righteous without having to do anything except believe. The apostle Paul writes this…

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Roman 3:21-24)

Yes, God justifies the ungodly. I personally am quite glad because I WAS THE UNGODLY!!! I need God’s free gift just like you do. I need His grace. I am glad that God loves me that much. I’m glad he was and is willing forgive my sin.  I am glad that Jesus was willing to be punished in my place. I am glad that I am righteous because of Him. Praise God!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving.