Romans 3:23. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Why do people struggle with their problems their entire lives, despite what they possess or have achieved? It’s because they focus only on their problems—yet Scripture emphasizes something entirely different. People chase after worldly blessings, but the Bible tells us to be a blessed person first. This fundamental blessing must come before anything else—whether money, fame, knowledge, or health. If we possess all these things without first becoming a blessed person, we will be controlled by them and eventually perish with them.
So, what is this blessing, and who are the blessed? The blessing begins with the fear of the Lord: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). That is why the most blessed people are those who read the Word of God, listen to it, and live according to what is written (Revelation 1:3). Scripture also says there is a special blessing for those who die in the Lord (Revelation 14:13). That’s right—the greatest blessing of all is to live and die in the Lord.
The Bible wasn’t written simply to give us answers to our personal problems. It was written to resolve the root of all problems—the fundamental problem. People suffer not because of a lack of money or health, but because they don’t know the true problem. And what is the fundamental problem? It is sin: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Original sin is the root of every problem, and the sins of our ancestors and our own actual sins are merely its consequences. Yet, without recognizing original sin, people turn to morality and ethics to deal with the symptoms, never addressing the root.
Remember the Pharisees? They were obsessed with arguing right and wrong, boasting about their religious deeds, and judging others. But they missed the point: their fundamental sin had to be resolved first.
So, what is original sin? It is the separation from God. All have gone astray and are born spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1), living under the power of the devil (Acts 10:38). Unbelievers belong to the devil; Scripture calls them children of “the father of lies” (John 8:44). If only people knew Jesus—the One who destroyed the power of sin and Satan—they could be set free forever.
What do unbelievers truly need? Scripture says, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Their reality is death. What can a dead person do? What good are their possessions? Nothing. What they need is life. If only they knew Jesus, who came to give life, they would have eternal life, escape condemnation, and cross over from death to life (John 5:24). This is why it’s urgent to bring the life-giving gospel to a dying world.
Since unbelievers are trapped in the ways of this world and under the power of the devil, they must receive and believe in Jesus as the Christ, Lord, and Savior. Only then can they be set free from the path of destruction. That is the only way to resolve the consequence of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23). Only then can they escape eternal judgment in hell (Revelation 14:9–11). God would never lose them. Nothing could separate them from His love in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:31–39). This is why we must keep proclaiming the gospel.
God is sending you into your mission field today. You have been entrusted with the mystery of the gospel hidden for ages. First, experience the blessing of Christ, the kingdom of God, and the filling of the Holy Spirit. Make Christ the center of your life. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Draw your strength not from yourself, but from above. It is God’s plan for His kingdom to be established wherever you go. Every person you encounter today is part of that plan. Bring them life and hope in Christ. Encourage them. Pray for them. Serve them as if you were serving Christ.
Prayer. Lord, I thank You for the solution to the problem of all problems—Jesus Christ, Your Son. Help me carry out the message of life and hope to those who are lifeless and hopeless. In Jesus’ name, Amen.