Verse by Verse

Britton Taylor: 00:00

Are you a good person, or are you a bad person? Are you holy or unholy? I know. That's getting a little personal, isn't it? The answer to those questions probably depends on who you ask.

Britton Taylor: 00:13

We may have one view of ourselves and someone else may view us differently. If you were going to do a self examination and ask those questions of yourself, what would your answer be? I believe the starting point would be, well, what is the standard? What is it that we're being compared to? Am I a good person?

Britton Taylor: 00:34

Compared to Adolf Hitler, I'm a pretty good person. Compared to Mother Teresa, I know I fall short. A Christian is to be compared to Jesus Christ. He's our elder brother, and we are to walk in his footsteps. A definition of a Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ.

Britton Taylor: 00:53

Another definition is a Christian is someone whose behavior and heart reflects Jesus Christ. All of us know that we are nowhere near the example set by Jesus. In every aspect of his life, we fall short. I know for sure that I fall short. As I hear myself speak, I feel I may be talking in the negative.

Britton Taylor: 01:16

I I don't mean to be. But on the surface, what I'm saying is daunting and can be demoralizing. To be honest, Jesus was perfect, and we are not. Facing that fact should not beat a Christian down, but quite frankly, it should lead us to want to know how to become like Jesus. Jesus Christ was righteous, and he was holy.

Britton Taylor: 01:39

I want to read a most encouraging scripture to you. It has to do with our being holy or unholy. This scripture deals with where we have come from and where we are in the eyes of God. That scripture is Colossians 1 verse 21 and 20 2. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight.

Britton Taylor: 02:15

It is because of what Jesus has done that we can be presented or declared to be holy. The apostle Paul says that through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are presented as holy, blameless, and above reproach. This is the way that he views us. This is because of his sacrifice for us. He was put to death for our benefit, so that we can be holy.

Britton Taylor: 02:41

So many supporting scriptures show that if we accept that sacrifice and seek forgiveness of our sins, then he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. When our sins are forgiven, we are declared holy in his sight. Now that is so encouraging. Paul writes in Corinthians that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of god. We have to be changed from corruption to incorruption, from mortal to immortal.

Britton Taylor: 03:10

Now back to the initial questions. Are you a good person? Are you a holy person? If we strive to follow Christ, then yes, we are becoming a good person. Are we holy?

Britton Taylor: 03:23

Yes, indeed. We are when Christ declares us holy and blameless after the forgiveness of our sins. A self examination will show us that we are human and we do fall short. But our elder brother says it is through his sacrifice we are declared righteous and holy in his sight. It is Christ's sacrifice that makes it possible for us to be holy.

Britton Taylor: 03:48

Let that truth encourage us as we walk the Christian walk.

Kevin Scarbrough: 03:54

Verse by Verse is a companion podcast to the daily bible verse blog, which you can find on the Life, Hope and Truth Learning Center. Check out the show notes for more.