All you need is faith

The topic of the Sabbath school class is very interesting this week. It's interesting because it is something I believe so many people struggle with, including me. Justin and I talk about this all the time. And I think it's something that Seventh Day Adventists in general have to continually remind themselves of because we can easily fall into legalism. Anyways the topic is Righteousness by Faith.
Romans continually tells us that we are not saved by our works but by our faith in Jesus Christ. Our faith that His death on the cross was the atonement for our sin and that no matter how good we are we can never earn our salvation. I think a lot of people, especially those who have strayed from the church, keep telling themselves that once they get the partying out of their system, or the drinking, or the adultery, or the drug use, or even just watching television on the Sabbath, they will go back to church. And how can we blame them? Every time they step into church most of the members look down on them because they know their not "in church". I hate that about people in the church. A lot of us instead of embracing them act like they shouldn't be there. Wasn't it Jesus Himself who said that the church is for those who are sick, not healed?
I believe that this is exactly what the devil wants us to think. He wants us to believe that because we are still sinning we cannot yet come to God. That we have to be clean first before we can make an effort to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. And as long as he continues to make you feel this way you will never have a relationship with Christ because it is only through Him that you can overcome anything at all. If I continued to wait until I had my life in order before I committed myself completely to Christ I would not be where I am today. When I began to pray every day and read my Bible every night is when a lot of things started coming together for me. I'm not saying I'm the perfect Christian because every day I struggle with my weaknesses. Every day I pray for meekness and for God's help with being a Christian example to everyone I come across. But I wouldn't be able to be that example without Jesus's help.
If you are putting off having a relationship with Christ because you don't have a handle on your life yet, it's never going to happen. Take small steps. Say a quick prayer in the morning before leaving the house. Read a chapter in the Bible before you go to bed. I promise you He will begin to help you overcome your sin and continually help you with your daily struggles. And that effort alone is all He wants. He doesn't care if your perfect. He only cares that you try.