It’s election time, and this may be the most important (and divisive) election in U.S. history.  Many are investing time, work and worry into the election because they feel that the next President might bring them hope… or ruin.  But any hope, improvements or rescue the next President brings really won’t be the kind of rescue we all truly need!  They are politicians, not saviors, and for all their differences they still have one thing in common – they are all guilty of sin!  We can say this with certainty because we find it taught plainly in Scripture.  In Romans 3 we learn that there is none righteous, not even one, we are all guilty of breaking God’s law (which is sin)…every one of us!  In, we see that obeying God’s laws now will not make us right with Him – I will repeat that because it is a message contrary to what we hear from many pulpits these days – obeying God’s laws now will not make us right with Him (Romans 3:20).  This makes sense since God is a just judge, and obedience now in no way pays for crimes in the past.  So no matter how much we “shape up” or start attending church, it is too late!  Living a moral Christian life isn’t the same as becoming a Christian.  The sin we have already committed has condemned us, and behavior modification won’t help a bit !  If we read the entire chapter of Romans 3, we learn that all are completely lost and without any hope at all…except the hope of Christ on the Cross.  That means that the politicians we are hoping will save us are completely unable to address any of the “big issues” that are facing us.  Do you think the rising federal deficit is a time-bomb that will soon go off, destroying our economy?  Well, that is indeed a serious thing.  But the federal deficit pales in comparison with the sin deficit you and I have before a Holy God.  The Judge will be just, and the penalty will be paid.  What are we to do?

Hope in a politician is hope in a sinful man, but the hope that is in Jesus Christ is quite different.  The modern preachers often tell us Jesus came so that we might live a fulfilled life, an exciting life, or even a prosperous life.  But the Bible tells us that Jesus came to die on the Cross, and the reason He had to die was so that God would remain just, and punishment for sin would be paid.  Do you see now how horrible sin really is?  It is so wicked that nothing would satisfy justice except the blood and death of a sinless sacrifice.  Jesus, Read more…