Confess, Don’t Rationalize: The First Step Toward Salvation
When it comes to our standing before God, most people fall into one of several camps: the rebellious, the moral, or the religious. Some openly pursue sin, others try hard to be good, and still others lean on religious rituals or cultural Christianity to earn favor with God. But Scripture makes a striking claim: all fall short—no matter how moral, religious, or well-intentioned we are.
Romans 3 brings this truth to light in powerful clarity: “There is no one righteous, not even one.”
This reality confronts us with an uncomfortable but necessary truth: We can’t save ourselves. Our attempts to justify or rationalize our sin only highlight the depth of our need for grace. Whether you’re tempted to think, “I’m not that bad,” or “At least I try to do good,” the standard isn’t other people—it’s God’s perfect righteousness. And by that standard, we all fail.
Paul anticipates our objections. In Romans 3, he poses questions from a “hypothetical objector”—someone trying to argue that their sin somehow highlights God’s goodness and therefore shouldn’t be condemned. It’s twisted logic: if my sin makes God look more righteous, is it really that bad? But Paul doesn’t entertain this thinking for long. He responds firmly: “Their condemnation is deserved.”
This is where many of us wrestle. We don’t like feeling condemned. So we try to rationalize sin, redefine it, or excuse it. But God’s Word is clear: our sin is real, it’s serious, and it separates us from Him. The law doesn’t save us—it reveals our need for salvation. It exposes our guilt and drives us to the only one who can forgive and cleanse us: Jesus.
The good news? God is faithful—even when we are not. Though we stand condemned on our own, God offers a righteousness that is not earned by law-keeping but given through faith in Jesus Christ. This righteousness is “apart from the law,” just as the Old Testament prophets had foretold.
But we can’t receive that righteousness until we stop pretending we don’t need it.
That’s why confession is so powerful. When we admit, “I am not righteous,” we take the first step toward freedom. We stop trying to save ourselves and start trusting in the One who already did. We stop defending our sin and start repenting of it. In that moment, we become “savable.”
Here’s the bottom line: You don’t have to carry the burden of trying to be good enough. You don’t have to live in guilt or shame. You don’t have to rationalize what you know is wrong. Instead, you can confess your sin, receive forgiveness, and walk in victory by the Spirit.
So how do we respond to this truth?
You don’t have to fake it. You don’t have to pretend. You don’t have to perform. Jesus died so you could be free—not just from sin’s penalty, but from its power.
So let’s stop rationalizing. Let’s start repenting. And let’s rejoice in the righteousness that’s ours through faith in Christ alone.
Romans 3 brings this truth to light in powerful clarity: “There is no one righteous, not even one.”
This reality confronts us with an uncomfortable but necessary truth: We can’t save ourselves. Our attempts to justify or rationalize our sin only highlight the depth of our need for grace. Whether you’re tempted to think, “I’m not that bad,” or “At least I try to do good,” the standard isn’t other people—it’s God’s perfect righteousness. And by that standard, we all fail.
Paul anticipates our objections. In Romans 3, he poses questions from a “hypothetical objector”—someone trying to argue that their sin somehow highlights God’s goodness and therefore shouldn’t be condemned. It’s twisted logic: if my sin makes God look more righteous, is it really that bad? But Paul doesn’t entertain this thinking for long. He responds firmly: “Their condemnation is deserved.”
This is where many of us wrestle. We don’t like feeling condemned. So we try to rationalize sin, redefine it, or excuse it. But God’s Word is clear: our sin is real, it’s serious, and it separates us from Him. The law doesn’t save us—it reveals our need for salvation. It exposes our guilt and drives us to the only one who can forgive and cleanse us: Jesus.
The good news? God is faithful—even when we are not. Though we stand condemned on our own, God offers a righteousness that is not earned by law-keeping but given through faith in Jesus Christ. This righteousness is “apart from the law,” just as the Old Testament prophets had foretold.
But we can’t receive that righteousness until we stop pretending we don’t need it.
That’s why confession is so powerful. When we admit, “I am not righteous,” we take the first step toward freedom. We stop trying to save ourselves and start trusting in the One who already did. We stop defending our sin and start repenting of it. In that moment, we become “savable.”
Here’s the bottom line: You don’t have to carry the burden of trying to be good enough. You don’t have to live in guilt or shame. You don’t have to rationalize what you know is wrong. Instead, you can confess your sin, receive forgiveness, and walk in victory by the Spirit.
So how do we respond to this truth?
- Admit your need. Stop trying to justify yourself. Confess your sin honestly to God.
- Trust in Jesus. Believe that His righteousness is enough. You don’t need to add to it.
- Repent, don’t rationalize. Ask God to help you turn from sin—not just in action, but in attitude.
- Live by the Spirit. Victory over sin comes not by effort, but by walking in the power of God’s Spirit.
- Invite others in. Don’t keep this truth to yourself—share the hope of the gospel with others.
You don’t have to fake it. You don’t have to pretend. You don’t have to perform. Jesus died so you could be free—not just from sin’s penalty, but from its power.
So let’s stop rationalizing. Let’s start repenting. And let’s rejoice in the righteousness that’s ours through faith in Christ alone.
This blog is based on a message preached by Lead Pastor Dr. Brian Stone on Sunday, June 1, as part of the Romans: The Righteousness of God series. You can watch the full message here.
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