I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

For most, keeping your nose clean, following the rules, and being a good, decent human being seems a solid path to whatever lies beyond this life.

Wouldn’t it be great if that’s all it took?

Gaining a righteousness just from observing the laws as the Jews did will get you pretty far in this life but not far enough for the next

That last step has long been a stumbling block but a necessary one for passage into eternal life.

No matter how much we try, nobody begins or ends up sinless.

Belief that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God to die and resurrect for us as payment for our sinful selves is the final step over the threshold into the kingdom of God who is able to do anything but tolerate the presence of unrepented sin.

Be good and follow your rules, yes, but to understand that faith and belief in Jesus is the final chapter completing your story is a whole new revelation testified to by the entire New Testament.

Christ didn’t die for nothing.

In this race called life, you matter to God and were made by him to be a winner.