Want to know God?

Providence Baptist Church, Daleville

Several years ago a friend of mine extended an invitation for me to see the U.S. Army’s latest hotshot aircraft. I enthusiastically made my way to the military gate seeking immediate access but a post guard informed me I didn’t possess the proper credentials to be admitted.

Jesus tells of a time when people will be utterly surprised to learn they don’t have the proper credentials to enter the Kingdom.

Judgment day will be an occasion for many religious people to recite their spiritual resumés. Yet no matter how impressed people may be with their accomplishments, Christ will insist that such things are not enough. “I never knew you” will be His response.   

The Bible tells us: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”(Rom. 3:23). For man to be accepted by a Holy God he must, in fact, be holy. However, God constantly reminds us in His Word that “there is none righteous, not even one.” Therefore if we are to find acceptance it will be based on the credentials of another, namely Christ. Christ is the only One whom the Bible proclaims as “The Holy One of God” even from the mouth of demons (Luke 4:34). It is in Christ sinners receive a righteousness that is not their own. In Christ sinners find their penalty for sin has been satisfied at the cross and the righteous requirements for acceptance by God have been met.  

How do sinners receive the righteousness of God and forgiveness of sin?

We must understand that our spiritual resumés and accomplishments, however impressive, all fall short of God’s requirements. We must turn from ourselves and our sin and trust and hope in Jesus. The Bible tells us that when we entrust our lives to Christ, He becomes our advocate. The only way to gain access to the Father is through faith in the Son. In order to know God as our Father we must come to Him through repentance from sin and faith in His Son.