All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:23-24).

If all we do is teach people to be good, they’ll inevitably think that their relationship with God is a consequence of their behavior. But it’s not. Our eternal relationship with God is a result of trusting in Jesus’ death and resurrection — plus nothing else! There is nothing we can do to justify ourselves before God or to add to the perfect work already completed by Jesus Christ!

As important as our conduct can be for fully enjoying and honoring our relationship with God, neither our best behavior nor our finest expressions establish or sustain his love. 

You do not become or remain God’s child because of how good you are or how articulate is your religiosity. You are his child because of humble faith in the grace God extended to you through the loving sacrifice of his one and only Son.

When we grasp nothing but the empty cross as the basis of our standing before God, then those empty hands of faith are filled with nothing but the grace we require to love, and live for, him. 

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for redeeming me from empty attempts to justify myself to you with claims of good behavior or refined religion. Please keep my hands empty of any claim upon your love except faith in my risen Lord. Fill my heart with the grace I need to love, and live for, you.