1. Realize that there IS an absolute standard of perfection.
I have done wrong; therefore I am not perfect.
However, the Creator is perfect, complete, blameless, and loving yet holy.
2 Samuel 22:31:
"As for God, His way is blameless;
The word of the Lord is tested;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
(and)
Leviticus 11:
45 'For I am the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, to be your God; thus you shall be holy for I am holy.'"
2. Recognize that your individual shortcomings and any wrong things you have *ever* done cause you to have a problem.
Romans 3:
21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
(and)
Romans 6:
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(and)
Isaiah 66:24:
"Then they will go forth and look
On the corpses of men
Who have transgressed against Me
For their worm will not die
And their fire will not be quenched;
And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind."
(and)
Mark 9: (Words of Jesus)
43 "And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire,
44 [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.]
3. Look for the best solution.
Romans 5:
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare to even die.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
4. Ask for and accept that best help.
Romans 10:
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved;
10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
7/09/22:
.5. How then do I find meaningful purpose?
.5.1. Learn to follow Jesus Christ.
.5.2. Learn to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Questions? Please email me at: jconantm @ gmail.com
A devotional:
The Judge's Compassion - Our Daily Bread (odb.org), 01/31/2003 << Just Beautiful !!