Why we need a Savior

To answer why we need a Savior, we need to do three things:

• Look at what’s going on around us.
• Honestly assess our own broken souls.
• And get a peek behind the curtain of what happens after we die.

Luckily, the apostle John received a vision of eternity and the day of judgment. He recorded that vision for us in the book of Revelation.

In Revelation 20, “great” shows God’s power—the higher the throne, the greater the one who sat on it (vv. 11–15). He is so holy (meaning perfect and set apart) that “From his presence earth and sky fled away." He is the Holy One of the universe.

And one day, we will stand before this perfect, all-powerful God: “I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne” (Revelation 20:12; Hebrews 9:27).

On judgment day, God will open the book of works, which records all we have done and every sin. Nothing escapes his notice: “For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes." (Jeremiah 16:17).

Upon the basis of our deeds, none of us can be admitted to God’s perfect paradise, for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

What is the punishment for sin on the day of judgment according to Revelation?

“[The sinner’s] their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8).

Any sin of any kind is enough for us to fall short of God’s perfect glory and goodness. If you want me to give you a list of my sins just from this past week, we would be here all day.

All of this points to the fact that we need someone outside us, with ultimate power, to save us from our own sin.

What do you think it means to fall short of his glory?

How many sins does it take to fall short of God’s perfection?

Have you fallen short of his glory and perfection?

We can take today’s devotional to reflect on how seriously God takes sin.

Do you take sin seriously in your own life?

Or have you allowed it to creep in under denial?

Since we mess up so frequently, and since God cannot ignore sin, do you think it’s possible for us to earn our way into God’s favor?