Flawed, Not Perfect: The Real Reason We Need and Share Christ
It’s an amazing thing when you truly understand the value of what Jesus Christ did for you. You realize that you are broken and your flesh is sinful, and that’s precisely why you start pursuing God and sharing the Gospel. You aren’t seeking Him because you feel worthy; you seek Him because you know He is the only one who can make you worthy. He is the only one who can sanctify you.
But as you grow closer to the Lord, you may notice something difficult. People even those you love, start making harsh and rude comments. They might say things like, “You think you’re so perfect,” or “You think you’re this pinnacle Christian.”
It hurts. It can be discouraging. But the truth of the Bible shows why their words simply don’t stick.
The Truth About All of Us
The Bible is very clear about the human condition. It reminds us that every person on earth is in the same boat. This is the foundation of our faith:
Romans 3:23 puts it plainly: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
And Romans 3:10-12 drives the point home: “As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’”
The reason you seek God is not that you think you are better than anyone else. It’s because you understand this broken reality. You know your own spiritual scorecard is empty. We are all living with the legacy of a fallen world, as Romans 5:12 states: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” The original sin is still here, and so is our need.
Why We Need Jesus: The Great Exchange
If our sin separates us from God, what brings us back?
It is the love and gift of God, not our own effort.
Isaiah 59:2 tells us the problem: “but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear.”
Romans 6:23 gives the ultimate consequence and the ultimate hope: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Jesus paid the wage for us. Romans 5:8 reminds us: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This is the great exchange: He died for us so we could be forgiven.
The true value in our life is not what we do, but what He did. 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains this miracle: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” He took on our sin so we could be given His righteousness.
This is why we live a life of faith. We choose Him over our own sinful desires because Ephesians 2:8-9 confirms that salvation is a gift we could never earn: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Don’t Be Discouraged
As you pursue the Lord and grow closer to Him, do not be discouraged when people attack you. You will face hurtful words from people who hate you, people who love you, and even people who do not know you.
This is simply what Scripture tells us to expect. The world rejected Jesus, and He said they would reject us too. The Bible foretells that we will go through difficult times that cause pain.
But none of it is in vain. Jesus died for us, and that is a source of great comfort and peace. The way we receive this peace is simple: Romans 10:9 says, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Find comfort in the fact that the Lord loves you and holds you in those moments of hurt. Keep seeking Him. Christ promises that he will sustain us, in His strength.