Why Do I Need Jesus? Why do you Need the Cross?

The question is, does God grade on the curve? For most people, they do think that God grades on the curve, and that their own things they do wrong are not as bad as everyone else.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

Let's take a look at that statement from the bible. Do you think you are included in the word all? Come-on, answer truthfully.

Now, how does that fit with what the popular teachings of men, that state man is basically good?

Comparing what the bible teaches and what man teaches, and reflecting on your own heart, what can you conclude about man? Is man basically good or sinful? I think if you were to be honest with yourself, you would say that man is sinful.

In 1 John 1:8 the bible teaches that people that claim to be without sin deceive themselves, and the truth is not in them.

Once again, the truth is not in a person that claims to be without sin.

Reading a little further in 1 John 1:10, people that claim they have not sinned are calling God a liar. In fact, those same people have God's Word no place in their lives. This is no different than spitting in the face of God.

A person claiming to be without sin would have no need for a Savior.

As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." Romans 3:10-12

According to Romans, no one is righteous, no one that is good, and no one that seeks God.

The Whole World is Held Prisoner

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14

Sinful man without the Spirit of God, does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. These things are foolish to the sinful man. The natural man can not understand the things that come from the Spirit of God.

Since the Spirit of God is foolish to the natural, sinful man, they have turned to their own way of dealing with everything.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

The picture of sinful man is like sheep that have gone astray.

Everything Not of Faith is Sin

The definition of sin in Romans 14:23 is summarized as: "...and everything that does not come from faith is sin."

According to Luke 19:10, the natural (sinful) man is described as lost. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." This verse also shows that Christ came to save the lost.

Natural men and women throughout the ages have spent a life of guilt, worry, anger, fear, loneliness, anxiety, emptiness, and a lack of purpose in life.

Sinful Man is Already Judged

The natural man is condemned already.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. John 3:17-18

The reason the natural man is condemned already is because God's wrath remains on him.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. John 3:36

Natural Man is Alienated From God
Enemies in the mind of the sinful man.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. Colossians 1:21

The mind of a natural man, also called sinful man, is classified as dead and hostile to God.

The mind of sinful man (Or mind set on the flesh) is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind (Or the mind set on the flesh) is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. Romans 8:6-8

There is no way that the natural man can please God because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God.

According to 1 Corinthians 15:50 flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Because, the flesh is perishable and dead to God.

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord Romans 6:23

Jesus said: "... In regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; ..." John 16:9 So, we can see that Jesus summarizes sin as unbelief in him. But, there is good news for the believer.

The Good News for the Believer

God made him who had no sin to be sin [Or be a sin offering] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— Colossians 1:22

Believe. Place your faith in Jesus and what he did on the cross for your sins, not what you are doing, or the works you do that you might think are earning you brownie points with God. Remember, God does not grade on the curve, only perfection will do. Trust in his perfection, not yours.

Please read the Welcome message.