Faith and Understanding

You Don’t Get Right to Believe in God, You Believe in God, and He Makes You Right

Many people think they must first “get right” before they can come to God. They believe they need to clean up their lives, break bad habits, and fix their mistakes before they are worthy of faith. However, this idea is fundamentally flawed. The truth is, you don’t get right to believe in God—you believe in God, and He makes you right.

This principle is at the heart of the gospel. God doesn’t ask us to be perfect before we come to Him; He invites us to come as we are, and He transforms us. Let’s explore this biblical truth by examining human nature, the power of faith, and the transformative work of God’s grace.

The Human Condition: We Can’t Make Ourselves Right

The Bible is clear that humanity is inherently sinful. From the moment Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), sin has been part of our nature. Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” No matter how morally upright they appear, this means that no one is “right” before God on their own.

Many people attempt to fix themselves before seeking God. They believe if they quit certain sins, develop good habits, or perform religious duties, they will become worthy of faith. But Isaiah 64:6 reminds us that our own righteousness is like “filthy rags” before God. No matter how much we try, we cannot purify ourselves.

This is where the gospel's good news comes in: God doesn’t wait for us to be perfect before we believe in Him. Instead, He calls us in our brokenness and offers to cleanse us.

Faith Precedes Transformation

One of the greatest lies people believe is that they must change before they can believe. However, faith is not the result of our own righteousness—it is the starting point of our transformation. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes this clear:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

Salvation is a gift, and it begins with faith. When we believe in Jesus, He takes our sins, and His righteousness is credited to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is not something we can achieve on our own—it is something only God can do.

Consider the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43). He was a criminal, condemned to death, yet in his final moments, he believed in Jesus. He didn’t have time to “get right” by performing good deeds or changing his lifestyle. He simply put his faith in Jesus, and Christ promised him paradise. This proves that faith, not personal effort, is the key to being made right with God.

God’s Grace Transforms Us After We Believe

Once we put our faith in God, He begins the work of making us right. This process is called sanctification. It’s not that we change ourselves to be acceptable to God—it’s that God changes us because we have placed our trust in Him.

Philippians 1:6 assures us:

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

God starts the work of transformation the moment we believe. He renews our minds (Romans 12:2), changes our hearts (Ezekiel 36:26), and empowers us to live righteously (Galatians 5:16-25).

Think of it this way: When a person is sick, they don’t wait until they are well to go to the doctor. They go because they need healing. Similarly, we don’t fix ourselves before coming to God—we come to Him because we need Him to fix us.

Biblical Examples of Transformation Through Faith

Abraham: Righteousness Through Faith

Abraham is a prime example of someone who was made right by faith, not works. Genesis 15:6 says, “Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”

Abraham was not righteous because of his efforts but because he trusted God. Paul emphasizes this in Romans 4:3-5, explaining that righteousness is credited to those who have faith, not those who rely on works.

Paul: From Persecutor to Apostle

Paul, formerly Saul, persecuted Christians and sought to destroy the church (Acts 9:1-2). Yet, Jesus appeared to him and transformed his life. Paul did not clean up his act before encountering Christ—he was changed after he believed. He later wrote in 1 Timothy 1:15-16 that he was the chief of sinners, yet God’s mercy saved him as an example for all who would believe.

The Prodigal Son: Restored by the Father

In the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), the younger son squandered his inheritance in reckless living. When he realized his mistakes, he returned to his father, expecting to be a servant. But his father ran to him, embraced him, and restored him.

The son did not have to clean himself up first. He returned, and his father made things right. This is a beautiful picture of how God receives us when we believe in Him.

The Danger of Trying to Earn Righteousness

Many religious systems teach that righteousness must be earned through good works, rituals, or personal effort. But this contradicts the gospel. Galatians 2:16 declares:

"A person is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ."

Trying to earn righteousness leads to either pride (if we think we are succeeding) or despair (if we recognize we are failing). But faith in Jesus frees us from both.

Living in the Freedom of God’s Grace

Once we understand that we don’t need to “get right” before believing, we can live in the freedom of God’s grace. We obey God not to earn His love but because He has already loved us (1 John 4:19). We pursue holiness not to prove ourselves worthy, but because we are grateful for the salvation we have received.

Titus 2:11-12 explains:

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age."

God’s grace is not a license to sin—it is the power that enables us to live rightly. But it all starts with faith.

Come As You Are, and Let God Make You Right

If you have been waiting to “get right” before coming to God, stop waiting. You will never be able to fix yourself, and the good news is—you don’t have to.

Jesus calls us to come as we are (Matthew 11:28-30), and He promises to transform us. Believe in Him today, and let God make you right.

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