Romans 3:21-26
Man Falls Short of God because of Our Sins
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Matthew 9:9-13
Jesus Came for Sinners
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Acts 4:12
Salvation is Found Only in Jesus
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
John 17:3
Now This is Eternal Life
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God...We sin, but we have a Savior who saves us from our sins...This does not mean we sin all the time and are bad all the time...We are just flawed...And this flaw is our sinful nature...We read our daily headlines are not surprised what we read on the front pages of our news when it is not about love, but much about our wickedness...But there is good in us too, even though we are flawed...There is this division in each of us as we struggle daily with our sins, just as Paul did...But being made in God's Image we have both good and evil residing in us...Let us realize we are sinners, and remember that Jesus said He came for sinners, and not for those who exalt themselves or think they are righteous...No, He came to earth to tell us and show us that He would die for us...To show us that He would die for each of us, and each of our sins...He came and dwelt among us to show us His LOVE and to be our Savior...We have to confess our sins and to believe in the One True God and the One He sent...