Perhaps you have considered this question. Does our loving God recognize the good things you do? Is He pleased with your overall attitude, behavior and lifestyle? At one time or another, most people have thought of the question of what God thinks of them. Sadly, most people quickly turn their thoughts in another direction and are concerned for the things of the day or things that need to be done that day. But, since you are taking the time to read this, it is likely that this question is important to you.
The purpose of this short essay is to examine what God’s word, the Bible, reveals concerning what God thinks of us. God tells His creation that He is very disappointed with their conduct. In fact, God declares that all people have turned away from God. All seek their own way and their own well-being. All have sinned. That is, all have fallen short of God’s expectation for their conduct (Romans 3:9-23). All people have a desperately wicked heart (Jeremiah 17:9).
But, one may say: surely there is much good in the world. There still remains people of good will who are more than eager to help their fellow man and desire to be right with God. Yet, God does not agree with that conclusion. In fact, He believes that even the wonderful deeds that we think we do are as filthy rags in His sight (Isaiah 64:6). Moreover, God declares that there is no one who seeks God on God’s terms (Romans 3:10-11).
Some may think: what a mean God. Should not He be big enough to overlook our shortcomings and accept us anyway? Or, at least, shouldn’t He be willing to accept those men of good will who at least try to do what is right and are desirous of knowing God? But, one must remember that God is God. That is, one can never understand the ways of God since He is so above us (Romans 9:21, Lamentations 3:39).
Perhaps you have no desire to serve such a demanding God. Or perhaps, you do not believe what the Bible says about mankind’s sad state. You simply must believe that there is some good in people that God can find acceptable. Or, at least, God will save those who seem to desire to be saved and want to be right with God. If you think this way, you may as well stop reading this tract since you are convinced that man has some ability to be pleasing to God. But, for those of you who recognize the utter wickedness and inability of man, read on.
You too can be acceptable to God and have right-standing with God. But how? We saw that God does not credit man with doing any good whatsoever. Even man’s willingness and desire to be right with God is a filthy rag. The good news is that before the foundation of the world God had foreordained that Jesus Christ would come in the flesh, tabernacle among men, be crucified and be raised form the dead (1 Pet 1:20, Hebrews 4:15,7:26). Jesus was the only person ever to live such a life that is pleasing to God!
Because Jesus is God (John 1:1) and is perfect, merciful and loving, He was able to suffer and die for His people (Ephesians 5:25, John 10:11:14-15). Before the foundation of the world, God chose a people who would become righteous and benefit from the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus (see Revelation 13:8, 17:8, Ephesians 1:4). That is, because Jesus atoned for sins, people are able to be seen as righteous in God’s eyes. We are viewed as totally clean and acceptable in the eyes of God.
You may be wondering whether you are one of those who are to benefit from Christ’s love and His work of dying on the cross. You can know right now. If you are able to believe God by humbly and earnestly repenting of your sins and cry out to God for His mercy, you can be saved. God will not despise a broken and contrite heart. However, it is only this earnest and repentant soul that God will hear and save.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Ps 34:18
Seek the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7
God will not listen to the man who in his own works and abilities desires to ‘believe’ in Jesus (e.g. Acts 8:12-21, James 2:14-25). Man’s efforts are of no avail to make him righteous with God. If you are able to believe with a broken and contrite heart, you can benefit from Jesus Christ’s work for you. Has the Holy Spirit affected your heart such that you are able to cry out to God (see Romans 2:29, Ezekiel 36:26- 27). If He has, do it!