Standing Before the Throne: Why We Need the Gospel

 “Why We Need the Gospel”

Imagine standing before God — not before a pastor, a friend, or a judge, but before the all-knowing, all-seeing, perfectly holy Creator of the universe. Imagine that moment when the veil is removed and nothing remains hidden. Every flaw, every character defect, every secret thought, every wrong act — even those we ourselves forgot — are fully exposed. There is no justification, no excuse, no defense left to offer.

What would we rightfully and fairly deserve?

The honest answer is difficult, even painful, to accept: we deserve judgment. Not because God is cruel, but because He is just. He is utterly holy, and His law is perfect. Sin — whether great or small in our eyes — is a violation of His goodness. Scripture tells us plainly in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…” Our rebellion, our pride, our selfishness — even if wrapped in politeness or outward decency — cannot stand in the presence of a holy God.

And yet, this is where the good news — the gospel — breaks in.

Paul writes in Romans 3:22, “Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.” This is not a generic encouragement; it is a divine rescue plan. Because if we were to stand before God dressed only in our own righteousness — our own efforts, good intentions, religious practices, or moral achievements — we would fall short. Isaiah tells us that even our righteous deeds are like “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) in the presence of His purity.

But God, in His mercy, has made a way.

The righteousness we need, God has provided — not by lowering His standards, but by satisfying them in Jesus Christ. On the cross, Christ took our sin — every flaw, every failure, every dark thought — and bore the judgment we deserved. In return, through faith, we receive His righteousness. Not earned. Not deserved. But graciously and completely given.

This is why we need the gospel:
Because in the judgment, when books are opened and lives are examined, our only hope will not be in our record, but in His.
Because now, as we walk through a broken world with broken hearts, we need more than therapy or discipline — we need grace.
Because daily, we fall short, and yet we are invited to draw near to God with confidence, not based on ourselves, but because we are clothed in Christ.

The gospel is not simply good advice — it is good news. It declares that sinners can be made righteous, that the guilty can be forgiven, that the lost can be found, and that the condemned can be justified — all through Jesus.

So I ask you today:
Will you stand before God in your own works, or in the finished work of Christ?
Will you trust your own flawed record, or will you cling to the righteousness freely offered in the gospel?

There is no better covering, no stronger hope, no surer salvation than Jesus Christ. And there is no time more urgent than now to receive Him by faith. Amen.

More: Lesson 7 Foundations for Prophecy