Here is what the gospel declares. God is not waiting for you to do better. He is not disappointed. He is not distant or withholding His love until you shape up. He is already pleased with you. Not because of what you've done or what you can do, but because of what Jesus has done.
Attempting to earn approval produces religion (a persistent feeling of not being good enough) rather than gospel rest. Replacing performance with faith gives peace and transforms how one relates to God.
Key biblical proofs
Matthew 3:17 — At Jesus’ baptism the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” and that declaration came before Jesus’ public ministry or any deeds, showing divine pleasure preceded performance here. God was pleased with Jesus when there was no performance, before His ministry, before His sacrifice therefore proving this is not performance-based approval but rather identity-based approval.
So, timing matters — God declared pleasure when there was “no performance at all,” so approval is identity-based, not achievement-based.
Ephesians 1:5–6 — Believers are “accepted in the beloved”; our standing before the Father comes from Christ’s standing, so God’s pleasure in us is rooted in Christ, not conduct. Before the father, His acceptance is your acceptance. Praise God! Now, the key truth I want us to grasp here is that God's pleasure in you is rooted in Christ, not in your conduct. The old system of trying to please God is over.
Hebrews 10:14 (and textual note) — “By one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified. We have obtained a once-for-all, permanent perfection through Christ’s sacrifice rather than an ongoing performance-based perfection cycle. He sanctified us. Not based on our works, not based on anything we do, not our performance. Praise God! He already sanctified us in the new birth. And then also, He “Perfected forever”. Meaning perfection is not conditional on never sinning again or for as long as you behave or even repeated earning \ repentance; it is a finished work through Jesus’ one offering perfected forever. Hallelujah! And you know, you cannot add to perfection. You cannot improve upon forever. No! The work is done. Praise God!
Romans 8:1 — “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”. This passage shows God is not condemning or displeased with believers in Christ right now. No condemnation means no judgment. No disapproval. No frowning from heaven. Hallelujah! If God is not condemning you, then he is not displeased with you.
Colossians 2:13–14 — The “handwriting of requirements” was wiped out and nailed to the cross; legal demands and unattainable standards were cancelled at Calvary, so believers should not live as if the list of demands still hangs over them.
The list of demands that the law had against you, every requirement, every standard you could ever or you could never fully meet was nailed to the cross of Christ. It doesn't exist anymore. It was cancelled at Calvary! Hallelujah! Also, notice the expression, “all trespasses”. That's what it says, all trespasses.
All here means past, present and future sins. They have all been forgiven in one single swipe of God. Praise God! So why are so many believers still living as though that list is still hanging over their heads? Because religion never told them the cross was enough. The system of trying to earn God's pleasure or approval through religious performance ended at Calvary.
Zephaniah 3:17 — God “rejoices over you with gladness” and “sings” over His people. This scripture depicts God actively delighting in believers now, not frowning from heaven.
This describes what God is doing now. Praise the Lord Jesus! It describes God's condition now concerning us. He is singing over you. Right now. Not later. In this very moment. God, the creator of the universe, the Alpha and the Omega is rejoicing over you with gladness and singing over you with unconditional love. Does that sound like a God who is displeased with you? Of course not!
Romans 5:1 — “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God,” this proofs the “war” between humanity and God is over and hostility has ended for believers.
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. That means the war is over. Hallelujah! The war is over. Did you hear that? The war between you and God is over. The hostility is gone. You are not on God's bad side. Never will you be. Praise God! You are not under His wrath. Praise God! You have peace right now!
2 Corinthians 5:21 — Because Christ was made sin for us, believers “become the righteousness of God in him”; righteousness is received, not earned or maintained by works, so believers’ identity is righteous in Christ now.
This is the crown jewel of the new creation truth. You didn't just receive forgiveness. Take note of that. You received righteousness. You don't pursue righteousness. You don't attain righteousness.
You don't even maintain righteousness. You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Praise God! This is gospel truth. Religion will never teach you any of these things. This is not a future promise. As a matter of truth, it's not even a promise. It's your present new creation reality.
Hebrews 11:6 and Romans 14:23 — Faith (belief in what God has said and done in Christ) is what pleases God; actions “not from faith” are considered striving and move one away from what pleases God.
The only thing that truly pleases God is faith.
God honors faith and not works.
For without faith it is impossible to please God. This is a place many of us read every now and then yet just very few understand what this is all about. “Without faith” it is impossible to please God. Not without fasting. Not without perfect church attendance. Not without your performance. Praise God! The Bible says without faith. Faith in what God has already said about you and done for you in Christ. And Romans 14, 23 adds this powerful truth.
Whatever is not from faith is seen as you striving. The moment you start depending on your works or your performance or you start depending on your conduct, you are actually moving away from what pleases God. And then Galatians 2.21 brings everything together.
Galatians 2:21 — If righteousness came by the law, Christ died in vain; trying to earn God’s pleasure through law/works undermines the sufficiency of the cross and sets aside grace.
Every time you try to earn God's pleasure through your own efforts, you are in effect saying that the cross is not enough.
Don't set aside the grace of God. Don't live as though Jesus died for nothing. The most pleasing thing you can do for God today is simply believe him.
That's all. Just believe him
Ours is a finished atonement → finished perfection: One offering (Christ’s sacrifice) perfected those sanctified forever. The legal demands were cancelled, so no additional human work can add to or re-secure that perfection.
Faith honors God; works can displace faith: The only thing that truly pleases God is faith in what God has done in Christ; performing out of striving or trying to earn approval is counterproductive and contrary to grace. So stop striving to earn acceptance: Cease all ongoing efforts to “measure up” as the basis of acceptance and just recognize that the believer’s standing is secure in Christ.
(Hebrews 4:10 cited) : “For he who has entered his rest has himself also seized from his works as God did from His”. “Enter his rest” today in your thinking, in your mind, in your consciousness. Come to the realization, recognition or awakening of God's faith rest.
Shift thinking and consciousness from performance to faith-rest, acknowledging God’s pleasure and peace with you now.
Come to that understanding. Come to this revelation of his rest. The rest of faith. Because your father is already pleased with you. Hallelujah!
Some may ask;
Does nothing I do matter?” — Works do not earn God’s pleasure, but faith does; this does not mean permissiveness, because receiving righteousness by faith transforms life differently than religion’s duty-driven obedience.
“What if I sin after being perfected?” — The Word of God asserts that perfection through Christ is “forever” (a definitive perfecting), not conditional on flawless future behavior. Forgiveness (past, present, future) is secured in Christ’s one decisive act.
You are already accepted, forgiven, and righteous in Christ because of what Jesus did; stop trying to earn God’s approval by works, believe the gospel, and enter the rest of faith — that faith, not performance, pleases God.
(A Prize Chukwuka Teaching)
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