The Futility of Merely Human Efforts to Escape Divine Justice

As we become aware of something of God’s holiness and our own sinfulness, our natural impulse is to do something in order to atone for what we have done and perhaps counterbalance our sin with good works or performing religious duties. Some religion is much like the behavior of the defendant who enrolls in programs and does community service prior to his sentence in hopes that he will escape punishment or at least gain a reduction of his sentence. This may be a wise course for the criminal defendant under certain circumstances, but it is utterly futile in the spiritual realm. The reason is simple. Jesus said a good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. The "good works" of sinful men and women are not acceptable to God for the payment of sin. The scripture says "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags." Scripture is crystal clear on this point: "…no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather through the law we become conscious of sin."8 All legalism, even in its subtler forms, is futile. Not only are we powerless to save ourselves, we cannot even so much as accept the gift of God’s forgiveness unless he gives us the repentance and faith with which to receive it.