Are You Ungodly?
I’m going to ask you a question tonight that you may never have been asked before. But this is a serious question. Are you an ungodly person? Are you ungodly? Most people when offered a Gospel tract respond with “No, I’m good.” Most people think they are good, but are you? Are you really a good person or are you an ungodly one? Can you look at yourself honestly and answer the question truthfully?
The knee-jerk, initial reaction for most of us would be no, I’m not an ungodly person. But I’m asking that you consider this question in view of God’s standard, not yours or mine. Are you a godly person by God’s standard? Please listen to the following Bible verses that describe ungodly people and see if you are on any of these lists.
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine (1 Timothy 1:9-10).
The Unrighteous
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexuals), Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
I sincerely ask you if you found yourself on any of these lists? These few Bible verses are by no means an all-inclusive or exhaustive list of sins. We could also look at the 10 Commandments and many other passages. You see, if Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior then you are an ungodly person. How can you be a godly person apart from God? You cannot be and the only way to God is through Jesus Christ alone.
Filthy Rags
You see, Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden and every single mere mortal has sinned since then. We’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. The Bible says that there are none righteous, no not one. Our very best is as filthy rags to our Holy and righteous God. The best you have to offer God is as filthy rags in His eyes because He is that Holy. That doesn’t mean it’s bad to do good things, you just can’t do good things to earn God’s favor. None of us meet God’s standard which is perfection. None of us are perfect.
My hope and prayer tonight, is that you will see yourself as God sees you – as an unrighteous or an ungodly person. How many lies do you think you’ve told in your life? Hundreds? Thousands? Hundreds of thousands? I’ve heard that the average person tells three lies in an average three-minute conversation. Are you an average person?
How many times have you stole something, lusted, or coveted? What about blaspheming God’s Holy name? We’re not just talking about using God or Jesus’ names as curse words, but every time you say “there is no God” you are blaspheming the great God of Heaven and earth.
You Can’t Clean Yourself Up
The point is folks, you need to see that you have sinned against God and there is nothing that you can do to make yourself right with God. You can’t clean yourself up; you can’t do more good than bad and somehow impress God. He is not impressed with people trying to work their way to Heaven. It is impossible to do and it by no means pleases God.
You and I cannot earn salvation. It is a free gift from God. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). We have all rebelled against God. Each and every one of us. We can’t save ourselves. You can’t wipe out one little white-lie, let alone all your sins. We really do deserve eternal punishment for our sins, for our rebellion against our Holy, righteous God.
God Demonstrated His Love
But God. But God commended (demonstrated) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law (Romans 3:20-28).
You Can’t Work Your Way To Heaven
We can’t work our way to Heaven. Salvation is found in Jesus Christ and in Him alone. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness (Romans 4:3-5).
Did you hear that folks? God justifies the ungodly. Jesus didn’t come for the righteous, He came for sinners. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He came to save His people from their sins. Oh, you need to see yourself as God sees you. Not how you see yourself or what others say about you. You need to see that you are a sinner that has rebelled against God, that you are an ungodly person.
God Justifies The Ungodly
God justifies the ungodly. Jesus is the just one and He is the justifier of those who believe in Him. Oh tonight, stop trusting in your own goodness (which is as filthy rags to God) and trust in the truly Righteous One. Trust in Jesus Christ the Lord for your salvation.
Recognize that you are a sinner. Confess your sins to God. Cry out for God to save you. Repent from your sins and surrender your life to Jesus. Come to Him humbly, acknowledging that you are ungodly and recognizing that Jesus is Holy. Repent and trust Jesus – the only way of Salvation. Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me (John 14:6). Come to the Lord Jesus His way – through repentance and faith.
We are to have repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). Repent from your sins and trust Jesus Christ the Lord. He is the only Savior, oh, but what a Savior He is. Your sins, all your sins can be forgiven. No matter how wicked you are tonight, no matter how unholy you are, no matter how ungodly you are, you can be saved. Yes, you can be saved through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Your guilty conscience can be cleared. God will cast your sins as far as the East is from the West, if you repent and surrender your life to Jesus.
Jesus Didn’t Partly Die On The Cross
You no longer need to fear God’s wrath over your sins. You can be washed white as snow. Jesus Christ didn’t just partly die on the cross. No, He gave His all, His life, His perfect, sinless life for those who repent and believe the Gospel. Come to Jesus tonight and be saved.
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:8-13).
Admit It If You Are Ungodly
Oh tonight, recognize and admit that you are an ungodly person. Confess your sins to God. Cry out for God to have mercy on your soul. Repent and put your faith in Jesus. Call upon the precious name of Jesus tonight and be saved. God will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. He will fill you with the Holy Spirit and the Spirit will convict you over your ungodliness.
It doesn’t mean that you will be perfect, but a truly saved person hates sin and loves Jesus Christ the Lord. A person that is truly saved realizes that the godliness we have, comes from our Lord Jesus. We look to Christ alone for our salvation. We have repented and believed the Gospel and it is a continual believing. Not a one-time religious experience. Come to Jesus tonight through repentance faith in the godly one – Jesus Christ the Lord.
(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, MO on October 5, 2018)