By Chris Wall
I’ve got bad news for you. You ready for it? You’re a sinner. But don’t feel alone—because you’re not. Everyone—everyone (except for one very special and unique Person; we’ll talk about Him in a moment)—is one too (Romans 3:23). Being a sinner means you have violated God’s Law, most clearly expressed in the Ten Commandments. Who among us hasn’t told a lie (Exodus 20:16)? Who hasn’t placed something or someone above God (Exodus 20:3)?
Chris Wall
Now, you might say, “Sure, I’ve done those things, but I haven’t broken the really serious commandments. I’ve never killed anybody. I’ve never committed adultery.” Two things need to be said. First, that’s not true of everyone—so how are those guilty of such things to be saved? Second, even if you haven’t outwardly broken those commandments, Jesus explained the heart-level meaning of the Law. He said that to look with lust is to commit adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:28), and that to harbor hatred is to commit murder in the heart (Matthew 5:21–22).
The point is this: we are all sinners, and we all stand in need of a remedy (Romans 3:10–12).
Here’s the other problem: you and I cannot fix ourselves. We don’t possess the ability to reconcile ourselves to God. We cannot perform works good enough to reach His standard of perfect holiness (Isaiah 64:6; Ephesians 2:8–9). God is infinitely righteous, infinitely pure, and infinitely above us. If all we can offer is “filthy rags,” then how could we ever hope for salvation or a right relationship with Him?
The answer is found in what Christmas proclaims. Christmas declares that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God (John 1:1–3), became incarnate—He took on flesh (John 1:14). This means He pre-existed His birth, for He is the promised Messiah foretold throughout the Old Testament (Isaiah 9:6–7; Micah 5:2). He received the name Jesus because He would “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21), and He is called the Christ because He is God’s anointed Redeemer.
When Jesus came, He lived the perfect life we could not live (Hebrews 4:15). He died the death we deserved to die because of our sin, bearing our guilt on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). And He rose bodily on the third day in victory over death and sin (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). His incarnation is the outworking of God’s saving plan being accomplished in history.
So this Christmas, consider this: Jesus Christ came to save sinners like you and me. We are deeply in need—but He is the remedy. If you repent of your sin and place your faith in Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15; Romans 10:9–10), you can have a right relationship with God this Christmas.
Chris Wall is the Pastor of Mesquite Baptist Church (750 W. Pioneer Blvd., Mesquite, NV, 89027). Additional resources can be found at mesquitebaptistchurchnv.com and on YouTube and Instagram at mesquitebaptistchurchnv.
