A Free Sunday Sermon

The entire sixth chapter of Romans says God has graciously done everything necessary for your salvation and you can't do anything to save yourself. Grace, not legalism, not works, is the great motivator of the Christian life. Every appeal in Romans 6 is based on what God has done that we cannot do.

God is NOT the Divine Accountant, tallying up good vs. bad deeds. He knew we could never do enough to make amends ... so He did it! On a hill outside Jerusalem the sin problem was taken care of. By Him! Now He calls us to come home and be with Him.

All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.
How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.
(II Cor. 5:18 21 The Message Bible)

NOTE: "... Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you... "

God doesn't just count us; he calls us by name. Arithmetic is not his focus.
(Romans 9:27 The Message Bible)

No. We don't deserve it. And no, we cannot earn it. But He freely gives it. And that my friends, is Grace .. Mercy ... Love.