Made Right

We are made right in God's sight
when we trust in Jesus Christ to take
away our sins. And we all can be saved
in this same way, no matter who we are
or what we have done.
Romans 3:22

Reading through Romans tonight brought to mind an older movie we recently watched again called, "As Good As It Gets." The movie stars Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt.
There is a scene in this movie where the two of them go out to dinner, but when they get to the door the maitre d' tells Jack's character that he will not be allowed in for dinner without a coat and a tie. They offer to provide one for him but he refuses for cleanliness issues, and heads out to find his own coat and tie as Helen Hunt's character waits inside for him. She was dressed "appropriately."

Now, "Jack" was dressed very nicely. He had on a pair of slacks with a button-up shirt. In most places, he would have passed through the front door without a problem. He was clean, neat, and totally respectable for most of the world's restaurants-but not this one. This one required something he did not have, and he was not allowed in until he was clothed properly.

Is heaven so difficult to understand when our entrance into the heavenly gates is much the same? There is a requirement. There is a dress code, and no one will be allowed to enter in without being properly "dressed."

What is that attire?
What will we need to be wearing when we arrive at our final destination?

We will need to be "clothed in Christ." It's that simple. The truth that the Word of God shares with all of us can be summed up pretty quickly when it comes to our entrance into heaven. We need to be "made right" in the sight of God.

That is what the Good News is all about. Some may say it is too simple. Some may be looking for something more complicated, or some may think this is a complicated thing to understand.

The Good News tells us how God
makes us right in his sight.
Romans 1:17

That's it! That's the Good News! It simply tells us what the dress code will be when we arrive. Get yourself a "coat and tie" or "eat" somewhere else. The feast in heaven is not prepared for those who are not dressed properly. "Jack" could smell the food being prepared, he could see others seated and enjoying their meals, he could argue that his "attire" was just fine, but that would not change the rules of the restaurant he chose to eat in that night. He needed a coat and tie!

He could have argued a good case.
He looked very nice.
It didn't change a thing!

We can argue a good case when we get to heaven.
We could have lived a very nice life.
It won't change a thing.

No one will be allowed in whose sin is not covered with Christ. And the great thing is, it's a free gift. It is provided at no charge to us! All we have to do is accept it.

"Jack" was offered a coat and tie, free of charge. He refused it. If he had not found a store open, one selling what he needed, he would not have been eating dinner there that night. His date would then have had to choose whether she would stay and eat without him, or join him at another restaurant.

Heaven won't be quite like that. Those that enter in to wait for their loved ones, will never have to leave. They won't want to! Once believers step through those heavenly gates, it will be HEAVEN!

Don't you realize how kind, tolerant,
and patient God is with you? Or don't
you care? Can't you see how kind he has
been in giving you time to turn from your sin?
Romans 2:4

God is so patient with us! He gives us many years to figure out that we are sinners and that we need to turn from our sins and accept our free gift of forgiveness. Our "coat and tie," if you will.

God has his rules. Some still believe those rules are written in stone. Some believe that if they follow the Ten Commandments, they will have their "coat and tie." If they try to be good enough, surely they will be allowed in.

So if you claim that God's promise is
for those who obey God's law and think
they are "good enough" in God's sight,
then you are saying that faith is useless.
Romans 4:14

But now God has shown us a different
way of being right in his sight-not by
obeying the law but by the way promised
in the Scriptures long ago. We are made right
in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to
take away our sins.
Romans 3:21-22

Jesus is our "coat and tie" now. The Ten Commandments pointed out our sins. Jesus shows how to be cleansed from them.

And he is entirely fair and just
in this present time when he
declares sinners to be right in
his sight because they believe in Jesus.
Romans 4:26

God makes the rules, like it or not. And he requires the proper attire to attend His feast. He requires that we are made right in His sight. He does make it easy. We simply have to say, "Yes."

But no, you won't listen. So you are
storing up terrible punishment for yourself
because of your stubbornness in refusing to
turn from your sin.
Romans 2:5

Okay, this is being kind of blunt, but it is the Word of God! Do we have any time to waste? Are we guaranteed tomorrow? Can we really sleep at night not knowing where we will end up if we don't wake up in the morning?

Just this last week, we heard sirens. We then realized that they weren't passing on by, but pulling in, right here on the street where we are parked in Florida. We don't know our neighbors as yet, having been here just a short time, but we missed meeting one of them. From what we heard, he left this earth. Candy canes out front, lights up ready to celebrate the season, but still the ambulance pulled in because someone's whole world just changed. The one who died has gone on to face their eternity, and the family left behind is now learning to live without them.

No one is guaranteed tomorrow. But we do have today! We can make sure where our eternity is spent, because we can say "yes" today, and God himself will give us our "coat and tie." He sent His Son over two thousand years ago with that gift for us. He was wrapped in a manger--not put under a tree. He started as tiny baby, who then grew up and gave His life for us.

For all have sinned; all fall short of God's
glorious standard. Yet now God in his
gracious kindness declares us not guilty.
He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has
freed us by taking away our sins.
Romans 3:23-24

Christ Jesus takes away our rags and clothes us with His righteousness when we say "yes." When God looks at us, He sees believers covered with Christ. We are ready for the gates of heaven! We can enter in today, tomorrow, or whenever it is that God calls us home! We never need to fear, because the sting of death is gone. The sting of rejection, or not fitting in or of being sent away is GONE!

He will give eternal life to those
who persist in doing what is good,
seeking after the glory and honor and
immortality that God offers.
Romans 2:7

Who doesn't want immortality? We work so hard at staying fit, eating the right foods, going to the doctor to check the state of our health or to fix what is ailing us. We want to live forever!! And God says we can! He gives it to us as a free gift!

Ryan was a young man with his whole life ahead of him. I never actually met him, but I recently met his mother. She shared Ryan's story with me, and an article that was written about his life and his death. This is what Ryan had to say about dying one day shortly before his death. He said, "I'm not going to die. I will either live here and go on or I'll live with Jesus forever." He had said, "Yes" and he had his "coat and tie." He knew he was clothed with Christ and he was ready, one-way or the other!

He had not refused the gift that was being offered to him. Why would anyone? Because it is complicated? Because we don't understand it? Maybe we think we might be disappointed by it or we have a better way to work things out? We end up turning this way and that until we are so confused, we don't know which way to turn!

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't
worship him as God or even give him thanks.
And they began to think up foolish ideas of
what God was like. The result was that their
minds became dark and confused.
Romans 1:21

Only the enemy wants us to live in a dark and confused state! God's way is lit and it is bright and it is full of hope! He opens the door and says, "Come on in! You are welcome here! I love you!" There is only one requirement and it is not a coat and tie! It is in His Son, Jesus Christ. It is our faith in Him that leads us home, and opens the door!

So that's why faith is the key!
Romans 7:16

Why? Because with faith in Jesus Christ, we are made right in God's sight! When we are made right in God's sight, we are dressed appropriately, and we are allowed to enter in! No one will be turned away who have turned to Jesus and said, "Yes." No one!

Because of our faith, Christ has brought
us into this place of highest privilege where
we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully
look forward to sharing God's glory.
Romans 5:2

What a great picture! Standing just inside the gates of heaven, all the fears and tears of the world we knew behind us-the rest of eternity stretched out before us!
Will we feel privileged?
Will we be filled with joy?
Without a doubt!!

And this expectation will not disappoint us.
For we know how dearly God loves us,
because he has given us the Holy Spirit to
fill our hearts with his love.
Romans 5:5

The Holy Spirit fills us while we are still here, filling us with the love of God each day we live. We cannot see the invisible clothes that Jesus has given us to wear, but we can certainly feel assured that they are on! We can be confident that our eternity is secure!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow, but we are guaranteed eternity, when we believe!

Now this wonderful truth-that
God declared him to be righteous-
wasn't just for Abraham's benefit. It
was for us, too, assuring us that God will
also declare us to be righteous if we believe
in God, who brought Jesus our Lord back
from the dead. He was handed over to die
because of our sins, and he was raised from the
dead to make us right with God.
Romans 4:23-25

The movie I mentioned seems to have gotten its title from a certain scene that would make us all think a bit. As "Jack" is leaving his psychiatrist's office, he stops in the waiting room and looks at those sitting there waiting to be seen. He says to them, "What if this is as good as it gets?"

The looks on their faces tell the whole story. They are confused, questioning, and hopeful that someone, anyone can help them. They are hoping that their doctor behind that door has the answer they are seeking. If he doesn't, where will they turn? Will this really be as good as it gets?

"Oh, what joy for those whose
disobedience is forgiven, whose
sins are put out of sight.
Yes, what joy for those
whose sin is no longer counted
against them by the Lord."
Romans 4:7-8

The weight can be lifted, and the joy of the Lord can be our strength, if we will only say, "YES."

Yes, Lord, I know I'm a sinner.
Yes, Lord, I do need forgiveness.
Yes, Lord, I believe you died for me.
Yes, Lord, I accept your gift.
Yes, Lord, I want to be clothed in your righteousness because heaven will be as good as it gets and I don't want to miss out on being there with You when my days on this earth are finished.
Thank You for the gift of eternal life!

Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life! Say "Yes" to Him now so when you get to heaven's door you will be dressed appropriately, ready to enter in and enjoy all that He has prepared for you!

Living in His peace and joy,

Diane