You Don't Have To Be Perfect, But...
Matthew 7 Series - Part 3

This is part 3 of the Matthew 7 Series. These articles are concerned with Matthew 7:13-29 and how the soft-marshmallow approach of the last several decades is failing us. It is past time to stop acting like Pharisees and start to act like Jesus, Paul, John the Baptist and Moses. It is important to read this series in order, especially the first three parts.

There are some people who will reject the first two parts of this series and will falsely label it legalism. These people are almost certainly making a desperate attempt to redefine their sin as not being sin. Regardless, this article addresses that concern.

Let me be perfectly clear. The good things we do, referred to as works in scripture, absolutely do not save us. Works in no way cause, help, contribute, or do anything at all towards our salvation. Other than Jesus, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All have earned the punishment of hell. The one and only thing that saves us is faith in Jesus the Messiah who was crucified, dead and buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. Jesus the Christ did this willingly in order to pay the price for our sin. Jesus took the punishment we deserve. And all we have to do is have faith in him. The forgiveness of our sins and our salvation is an unearned gift of grace made possible by Jesus' sacrifice.

However, it is only Jesus that can save us. We can't invent our own version of Jesus. That is to invent a fake idol just like the Israelites made a golden calf to worship instead of God. Our faith must be in the real Jesus because a fake Jesus cannot save us. How do we know we have put our faith in the real Jesus? We get to know the real Jesus in scripture. The Holy Spirit provided this guidance for us. We should read it and act on it as Jesus commanded.

Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter."
Matthew 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock."

Some reading this are saying something like, "But all we have to do is believe."

James 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

Even the demons believe. But it does them no good. A person who believes in God is not saved by that belief. They must have faith in Jesus, the real Jesus. And He made it clear that mere belief is not enough.

John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

There is a crucial word in there, obey. If someone really believes that Jesus, the Son of God, has saved them from their sins there will be evidence of that belief. And Jesus specified what the evidence of fake belief is, that they do not obey the Son of God. Real faith in the real Jesus makes us want to obey Him. If we really believe that Jesus has saved us from going to hell, which is what we have earned by our sin and rebellion against God, then how can we not be overcome with joy and gratitude to Jesus? But those who have a "ho-hum", casual, "I'm not really that bad" kind of attitude do not really believe. Let me repeat, if you don't think faith in Jesus and His grace is a big deal, you don't really believe. And I think there is something wrong with you.

John 8:24 "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."

That is, really believe in the real Jesus or you will die in your sins. If it doesn't show in our actions it cannot be real belief. And that is made clear in several other of Jesus' teachings.

Luke 13:5 "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
Matthew 3:8-10 "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

Actually repenting of our sins comes from our faith in Jesus. And that faith will bear good fruit, that is, will show in our actions if it is real.

John 14:20-21 "In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."

If we really believe Jesus saved us from hell and the punishment we deserve for our sins, then we cannot help but love Him. But Jesus was absolutely clear that doing what He commanded is what those who love Him do. But not doing them is what those who don't care do.

Here is the bottom line: Legalism is about being perfect. If you try to justify yourself that way you have to do it perfectly all the time. One sin and you've failed. No one can do it. Real salvation is about our heart. Do not mistake that for an easy way our or a loophole. We must put our faith in Jesus, the real Jesus, and in Him alone. The fact that we fail and sin does not cancel our salvation like in legalism. However, it must be faith in the real Jesus.

Anyone who makes up their own morality, their own rules, their own way for what following "Jesus" means has made up a fake Jesus that can't save them. Nothing they do will save them. A person who reads, studies and meditates on God's scripture to find out what the morality, rules, and way of the real Jesus are and acts on them is saved. And even when they sin again and again, they are still saved as long as their faith is in the real Jesus.

It ought to be clear, but it doesn't seem to be by how people speak about it and how they live. A person who lives in sin is not saved. A person who lives in Christ, still fails and sins, but repents is still saved. A person who denies their sin is sin is not saved. A person who acknowledges their sin is sin and puts their faith in Jesus is saved. A person who makes a sin their identity is not saved. A person who makes "disciple of Jesus" their identity and looks to Him for help with their sinful desires and failures is saved. A person who doesn't care what Jesus commanded is not saved. A person who learns Jesus' commands in scripture and tries to do them is saved. Both sides of these examples are sinners. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The unsaved person does not care what Jesus said. The saved person does care, listens, and acts on it. The unsaved person puts their faith in their own views and ideas. The saved person puts their faith in Jesus and finds Him in scripture.