God is perfectly faithful, just, and upright. And he demands the same of his people.
But if you have ever hurt anyone, worshipped the things of this world instead of God, stolen anything, you have sinned
' “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. '
- Deuteronomy 32:4
- https://www.bible.com/bible/59/DEU.32.4.ESV
The Problem: No human is truly inherently good or does good
'as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” '
- Romans 3:10-12
- https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ROM.3.10-12.ESV
The Solution: God provides a way to attain righteousness
'But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. '
- Romans 3:21-26
- https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ROM.3.21-26.ESV
Whoever comes to Jesus has eternal life
“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
- John 6:35-40 (ESV)
- https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.6.35-40.ESV
'Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. '
- John 14:6
- https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.14.6.ESV
Unless you are born again, you cannot make sense of God’s grace
'Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” '
- John 3:1-3
- https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.3.1-3.ESV
'For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. '
- 1 Corinthians 1:18-21
- https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1CO.1.18-21.ESV
Belief starts with a change of heart
“…because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”
- Romans 10:9-11 (ESV)