The Bible says only those who are holy will enter God’s Kingdom. The Apostle Paul alludes to this in 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 as he writes how sinful living cannot inherit the Kingdom.
Now, before we can examine God’s view of sin, we must first consider His view of time. Yes—TIME.
First of all, many believe that God’s perspective of “time” is the same as ours. For example, most of us would assume that if we only sinned twice every five months, that we would be pretty holy, right? However, if time is different with God, five months to us could be a mere five seconds to Him! And if that is the case, even if we sinned only twice every five months, to God it would be as if we were sinning twice every five seconds!
The Scripture indicates that a thousand years for us is a mere day from God’s perspective. Furthermore, with God existing eternally and beyond the limits of our “timeline,” it is even more likely that time from His viewpoint is extraordinarily faster than ours.
2 Peter 3:8 – One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
Psalm 90:4 – For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Now you see how our “sin record” looks from God’s eternal perspective. From Heaven’s view, we sin continually. This is why God’s holiness is not about having a sin-free streak for a few months or only sinning every now and then. God’s Holiness is about never sinning. And none of us has that record.
For example, if I haven’t lied in three years, that doesn’t change the fact that I have lied before. It only takes lying once to be considered a liar before God. And “no liar will enter the holy city” (Revelation 21:27).
Remember, it only took Adam sinning once to lose eternal life—not twice or a thousand times, but just once. Once Adam sinned, we were no longer holy before God. God’s holiness is about never sinning—not even once.
Again, when we consider God’s sense of time, our long periods of “not sinning” are actually, from His view, a life of sinning every second. Thus, we are utterly depraved and fallen creatures. We need a Savior—and His name is Jesus.
We sin now and then, intentionally and unintentionally. Even just looking at a woman with lustful intent is considered adultery before God. Not that you called the woman, touched her, or even spoke to her. Just looking at her with lust is committing adultery in your heart. And no adulterer will go to Heaven or the New Earth.
Matthew 5:28 – But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
So just imagine the number of men who will go to Heaven.
Something must be done about our sinful nature—we can’t keep a clean record of not sinning.
What can we do to remain holy and perfect before God?
Thank God for Jesus. Jesus had to come, live a perfect life of never sinning, and then become a covering for us.
When you choose to have Christ as your King, it’s like putting on a jacket made with His blood, His life. And when God sees you, He sees Jesus. He doesn’t see the sins you have committed—or even the ones you will commit. He just sees the holiness of Jesus, because you have His “blood jacket” covering you. As long as you keep the jacket on, you will always be holy before God.
God’s standard of righteousness is only in Jesus Christ. And as long as we are in Him, we are righteous before God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 – He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
So, how do you remain in Jesus Christ, with His “blood jacket” covering you?
Through faith in Jesus Christ
(John 15:4, Romans 4:11, Hebrews 10:39)
John 15:4 – Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
