Introduction

There is no greater question for the soul than this: How shall I approach the Lord? Every person must one day stand before the holy God who made heaven and earth. We may approach people with excuses, explanations, credentials, ceremonies, and accomplishments, but none of these can hide the truth from the living God. Before Him, every heart is open, every sin is known, and every mouth is stopped.

The question is not whether we will approach Him, but how. The Bible teaches that God is merciful, but He is also holy. He invites sinners to come, but He does not receive sinners based on human pride. We cannot come dressed in our own righteousness, covered by our religion, boasting in our works, or excusing our guilt. We must come as sinners in need of grace, trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

1. Not with My Righteousness; It Is Unclean

Many imagine that they can approach God by presenting their best efforts, their moral record, their sincerity, or their reputation. Yet the Word of God removes that false hope. Isaiah declares, “But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousness is like a filthy rag” (Isaiah 64:6, NKJV). Even our righteousness, when offered as the basis of acceptance before God, is stained by sin.

Isaiah 64:5 reminds us that the Lord meets the one who rejoices and does righteousness, yet the same passage confesses, “You are indeed angry, for we have sinned.” The issue is not that good is evil, but that sinful people cannot make themselves clean by presenting their own goodness to God. Romans 3:23 gives the verdict plainly: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (NKJV). Therefore, I must not approach the Lord saying, “Look at what I have done.” I must approach Him confessing, “I am unclean, and I need mercy.”

2. Not with My Religion; It Is Unacceptable

Religion without repentance cannot save the soul. In Isaiah 1, the people of Judah continued their sacrifices, assemblies, and prayers, but their hearts were far from God. The Lord said He was weary of their empty worship because their hands were full of blood.

They had ceremonies but not surrender; offerings, but not obedience; religion, but not reconciliation. Yet even in that chapter, God extends mercy: “’Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the LORD, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow’” (Isaiah 1:18, NKJV).

The answer is not more empty religion but cleansing from God Himself. Micah 3:4 warns that those who persist in evil may cry to the Lord, but He will not hear them, as they cling to their wickedness. Religious activity cannot replace a broken and repentant heart. Church attendance, baptism, giving, prayers, family tradition, and religious vocabulary are not substitutes for salvation. These things may have their proper place, but they cannot wash away sin. I must not approach the Lord saying, “I have religion.” I must approach Him asking for grace.

3. Not with My Works; They Are Dead and Useless

Human works cannot cleanse the conscience from sin. Hebrews 9:14 asks how much more the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, shall “cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (NKJV). Dead works may look impressive to people, but they cannot give life to a dead soul.

The sinner’s problem is not merely weakness; it is spiritual death. A corpse cannot improve itself into life. Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Titus 3:5 adds that God saved us “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy” (NKJV). If my works could save me, Christ died in vain. But because my works cannot save me, Christ died for sinners.

4. I Approach the Lord as a Confessing Sinner, Trusting in Him

In Luke 18, Jesus told of two men who went up to the temple to pray. One boasted in himself. The other would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast and prayed, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” (Luke 18:13, NKJV). Jesus said that this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. Why? Because God receives the humble sinner who casts himself upon divine mercy. This is the only honest approach to God.

I do not come denying my sin, explaining it away, comparing myself to others, or promising that I will do better in my own strength. I come confessing the truth: “Lord, I have sinned. I cannot save myself. Be merciful to me.” First John 1:9 promises that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

5. I Approach the Lord Guilty Before Him and Needing to Be Justified in His Sight

Romans 3:19-20 says that the law speaks so “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (NKJV). The law does not justify the sinner; it exposes the sinner. It silences every excuse. It shuts the mouth of self-defense. It shows us that we are guilty before the Judge of all the earth. But Romans 3 does not leave us in despair. After declaring that no flesh will be justified by the deeds of the law, it announces “the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe” (Romans 3:22, NKJV). The guilty sinner needs more than pardon in a general sense; he needs to be justified in God’s sight. Justification is God’s gracious declaration that the believing sinner is righteous because of Jesus Christ. Therefore, I approach the Lord not as one who deserves heaven, but as one who deserves judgment and pleads the merits of Christ. I come guilty, that I may be justified. I come condemned in myself, that I may be accepted in the Beloved.

6. I Approach the Lord Believing upon the Lord Jesus Christ Alone for Salvation

The only saving approach to God is through Jesus Christ. Isaiah 53:4-6 proclaims that the Servant of the Lord bore our griefs, carried our sorrows, was wounded for our transgressions, and was bruised for our iniquities. “All we like sheep have gone astray,” but “the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6, NKJV). Christ did not die as an example only; He died as a substitute for sinners. Acts 4:12 declares, “Nor is there salvation in any other” (NKJV). Acts 16:31 gives the simple command: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (NKJV).

Romans 5:6-11 tells us that Christ died for the ungodly, that God demonstrates His own love toward us, and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 8:1 assures the believer, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (NKJV).

Romans 10:9-10 teaches that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Salvation is not Christ plus my righteousness, Christ plus my religion, or Christ plus my works. Salvation is Christ alone: His blood, His cross, His resurrection, His righteousness, His mercy, His power to save.

Conclusion: Come to Christ Today

How shall you approach the Lord? Not with your righteousness, for it is unclean. Not with your religion, for it cannot reconcile you to God. Not with your works, for they cannot cleanse your conscience. Come as a confessing sinner. Come guilty and in need of justification. Come believing upon the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

Hear the gracious invitation of the Savior: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NKJV). Jesus does not call the self-satisfied, but the weary. He does not call the proud, but the burdened. He calls sinners to Himself, and He gives rest for the soul.

He also gives eternal security to those who belong to Him: “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:28, NKJV). No one can snatch His sheep from His hand. The Savior who calls you can save you, keep you, cleanse you, justify you, and bring you safely home. Do not delay (2 Corinthians 6:2). Do not hide behind your morality, your church background, your good intentions, or your religious customs. Turn from sin and turn to Christ. Lay down every false hope. Cry out to Him today: “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Come to Christ now, for He is willing to receive sinners, and He is mighty to save.

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In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul warned us, “But understand this that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (ESV – all emphasis is mine)

Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 record our Savior’s message about what will be happening at the end of this age. He tells about nations and kingdoms rising against each other, great earthquakes, famines and pestilences, increased lawlessness and false prophets leading many astray, and hatred toward anything to do with Jesus happening more and more. Just watching today’s newscasts reveals all this is here now.

In 1 John 2:15-16, we’re told, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life – is not from the Father, but is from the world.”

John goes on to give us what is behind all the negativity in 1 John 2: 22-23: “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.”

The changing worldly attitude against anything that has to do with Jesus is no surprise to our triune Godhead – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus told us of the two pathways to eternity in Matthew 7:13-14. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

The hard part of this is truly believing there is only one pathway to eternal life, and that is through Jesus (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). We hear of revivals with many people saying they are now followers of our Lord and Savior, but soon a lot will return to their old ways of life.

In the parable of the sower of seeds, Jesus explains why there are few who truly receive and accept Him. In Matthew 13:20-22, He states, “As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”

From the very beginning, Satan has relied on deception to tempt people and draw souls away from the Lord. Sadly, he was an archangel who had been in the presence of our Heavenly Father, but destructive pride caused his downfall.

In Revelation 12, we’re told there was a war in Heaven between Satan and angels who followed him, against Michael, another archangel, and the pure holy angels. Satan and his angels, also called demons, were thrown to Earth until the final judgment takes place. They have no pathway to forgiveness as we humans do.

In 1 John 4:1-3, we are told of forces that are already in the world and working on welcoming the ultimate antichrist of the 7-year tribulation. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming, and now is in the world already.”

For anyone to believe that the tribulation has already begun, this cannot actually start until all true believers are removed from this earth to keep God’s promise to us (1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, and Revelation 3:10).

The ultimate antichrist is being held back by the “Restrainer,” or Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2). When that restraint is removed to unleash the actual Satan-indwelt antichrist, all who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit must be removed to meet Jesus in the air and forever be with Him (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). We will receive our new forever immortal bodies and a mindset that will be immune from Satan’s temptations.

Our Heavenly Father is aware of the condition of the present world, and we need to talk (pray) to Him every day for strength and courage to carry on. We don’t know exactly when the Trumpet of God will sound, and there’s a shout from an archangel, but we can make sure we aren’t left behind.

God wants no one to fail (2 Peter 3:9) and has provided a pathway to our eternal life in Heaven. We cannot earn or buy our way into Heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9). If we confess we are sinners, as all of us are, and call out to our Savior for forgiveness and ask to become a part of His flock and truly believe He did come to this earth to be the perfect, sinless blood sacrifice that will cover all our sins, we will be saved (Romans 10:9-13).

False prophets today are proclaiming there are many ways to Heaven and no one really needs Jesus to be their Savior. Sadly, there are a lot of people who are accepting this and are scheduling themselves for the line at the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15. Some believe they can wait for the Rapture to start to call out to be saved. Paul’s comment about “in the twinkling of an eye” in 1 Corinthians 15:52 means it will be over before anyone can take a breath, much less call out to be saved.

If you have not truly received and accepted the free gift the Father has offered for calling out to Jesus to be saved, today will not be too soon to do so. We have no guarantee that we will see tomorrow.

Please understand, God did not force Satan and his fallen angels to be Holy, but gave them freedom of choice. We have that same option. He will not force us to call out to be saved, but will honor all who truly do. This is the most important decision you will ever make. Heaven or lake of fire – Your Choice.

Shalom! Peace be with you!

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