Meet McKenzie Cranford

How much do you know about God?

Maybe you grew up in church and can quote huge sections of the Bible. Maybe you just opened the Bible for the first time today. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, the Scriptures make clear that we are all in the same boat—no one, "good" or "bad," is righteous according to God’s standards.

Not. Even. One.

All the good things we’ve done do not balance out the times we have sinned against the living God, choosing our own desires above the desires our Creator has for us. In this passage, Paul is speaking to the Jews, who believed they had checked off plenty of boxes to be saved. However, salvation is “not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:9). Similar to the Jews, those of us who “grew up in the church” face the temptation of forgetting that salvation has nothing to do with our perceived goodness.

So what’s the good news?

There was a perfect One who came to earth, died on a cross in our place, and rose from the dead on the third day. His name is Jesus, and He offers salvation to all—no exceptions. Christians are people who have called on the Lord Jesus to be saved (Romans 10:13) and don’t think they are better than anyone—just better off because of their decision to trust God with their lives. God cannot overlook our sins because He is just, but He invites all of us to enjoy relationship with Him through an act of faith.

Reflecting on this truth, we can rest in the fact God is not keeping score. He delights in forgiving us (Micah 7:18), and He provides us with the tools and freedom to fight temptations. As we grow in our faith, it will not always be an easy process—but it’s always for our good (Romans 8:28).

Let’s go, church!