Reading:
Romans 9:19-33
In today's world, there are so many people saying that there are multiple ways to get to God. People like to approach the life of faith with the thought that it is something that they do. I must have faith and then I can find God. I must do something to move to God. If I keep the law then I am doing good, or if I only break a few commandments I am still ok. The Israelites did very much the same thing. They based their relationship with God on the fact that they were of the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the great Patriarchs. They based their relationship with God on how well the kept the Law, and how they kept themselves pure. But throughout the Old Testament, we see how they failed time and time again to attain the perfection they so desired.
These ways that were just written about do not foster a right relationship with God and they do not make you righteous. If anything, if we are trusting in our works, our "perfection", we are going to move into despair. You may say, I am really pretty good. But look at this way, if you had to right this moment stand before the Perfect, All Holy, Omnipotent God that demands perfection, would you really want to stand there and try to plead your case? You must be perfect to stand before God and be in His presence. Do you think that is the case for you? The Scriptures are clear, if you say you have no sin you deceive yourself and the truth is not in you. (1 John 1:8)
The Gentiles realized that as St. Paul was going out to preach to them they had to have faith and trust that God was moving among them. The faith, a heart that longs to trust in God is not something that we attain to. It is something that is given to us, as free gift. Our faith is given to us by God Himself when His Word is preached to you the Holy Spirit creates faith in our hearts so that we can see Jesus Christ for who He is. It is when the Holy Spirit removes the scales from our eyes, that we realize we are totally lost if we had to stand before God. God knows that we are lost, so He sent His Son to be our rescue team. He came and lived among us and became like us in every way, except without sin. ( Hebrews 4:15) He took the punishment of our sins by dying on the Cross. He had no sin, He did not deserve to die. Yet He took our sin and nailed it to the cross and covered all of them with His most precious Blood. We are given faith to see Jesus, the God-Man, and then we cling to Him.
When we have to stand before God, either when we die or when our Lord returns, what do you want to bring to put before God? Do you want your works, your failures, your shortcomings, your personal righteousness? Is this what you want to bring? Or do you want to be able to say, "I am a Baptized Child of God, who is clothed in the righteousness of my Savior, Jesus Christ. He promised He would never leave me nor forsake me. He promised me a place at the banquet table. I am your child, O God, by adoption and grace because of Your Son." Hold fast to Jesus, He is the only mediator between God and man. Your works will fail, but Jesus will never fail.
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