We are genetically predisposed to rebel against our Creator. We cannot earn His approval or work our way to heaven; we can only accept the free gift of grace through His sacrifice.

In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul reminds us that the genetic disorder of sin is always at work within our bodies. He wrote, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24).

We want to do good, yet the destructive effects of the sin disorder are constantly at work in our lives. Sin is not just something we do; it is a part of who we are as descendants of Adam and Eve. We are genetically predisposed to rebel against our Creator.

Our God is a righteous, holy and just God, and we stand guilty before Him. The court of heaven declares that if we violate His laws, and we can't help but do so, then we will spend eternity separated from Him.

Many people find God's judgment difficult to accept. They refuse to acknowledge the awfulness of their own sin. "I'm a good person," they say. "Sure, I sin from time to time. But on the whole, I think my good deeds probably outweigh the bad. If I do enough good works, God will accept me."

But that is not how He sees it. His Word tells us that we can never do enough good works to counterbalance the weight of our sin. We can never hope to pay for our sins. We can never make ourselves acceptable to God by our own efforts. We cannot earn His approval or work our way to heaven; we can only accept the free gift of grace through His sacrifice.

Prayer: God, I realize that my sin is what separates me from You and that there's nothing I can do to make myself good enough for You. Thank You for making a way for me to know You eternally. Thank You for being a holy and just God. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

"Just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people" (Romans 5:18).