Proverbs 21:2 (KJV)
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.
We often justify our actions, believing that our ways are correct. However, this self-righteousness is deceptive and leads us away from the truth of God’s Word. Being human, our perspectives are limited and flawed, but God sees the full picture and understands the true condition of our hearts.
God goes beyond outward appearances and actions because we can hide behind those things. God looks at our hearts through careful examination and meets us at the core. He sees our true sinful nature. Our hearts are naturally inclined toward evil, and that is why we need God's help. To receive the gospel, we must first acknowledge this evilness within us. Not just understanding that we are evil, but accepting that we are wicked from birth and all the way through. Essentially, we need to recognize that we are in desperate need of a savior. We cannot save ourselves.
Understanding that we are evil from head to toe and completely in need of God’s grace, prepares us to fully accept and rely on Jesus for salvation.
Our own ways, no matter how right they seem, cannot lead us to God. Only through Jesus can we obtain salvation. He is the perfect sacrifice who took on our sins and traded it for his righteousness. Spiritual life involves denying our own flawed ways and fully relying on His grace. Surrender is the by-product of acknowledging our sinful nature. When you accept this, you can no longer have faith in yourself or trust your thoughts. We start to only lean on Jesus and His finished work on the cross. I hope we can all come to the conclusion that no matter how "right" we are in front of man, we will always be wrong in front of God. Let's stand in the position of being wrong in order for our Savior to be the only right.
Amen!