I never knew how to describe my spiritual struggle for the longest time. Fortunately, God shed some light on it in a conversation with my good friend, Ryan Stoll. We have this tendency to think that by continuing sanctification we are justified before God. Because humans are always inclined to want or think they need "a little more," we're never satisfied with what we have done to justify ourselves before God. We're just not good enough. There's always a little more that could be done. "I should help more of the poor." "I should volunteer at church more." "I should renounce marriage, own nothing but a robe and a walking stick, and go around preaching about the Second Coming while serving widows and orphans!" This is a sin that can lead us to depression, anger, and even rebellion because we might think that if we're not seeing enough of a change then we must not be saved. What a terrible feeling! Questioning our salvation because we realize that we cannot work our way to Heaven. Well the Bible does teach that! We can't work our way to Heaven because we aren't good enough.
They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
Psalm 53:3
That's why our hearts rejoice because the good news, the gospel, is that Jesus died for us!
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
You see that? However believes shall not perish. This is one of the things Paul emphasized quite a bit in his writings.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God...
Ephesians 2:8
I have probably stressed this truism multiple times in my blog, but it's something we have to continually remind ourselves of lest we forget. Believe in Christ and do good works to show your gratitude towards God.
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6
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