Why is understanding our need for salvation important for Christians?

Recognizing our need for salvation is crucial because it reveals our utter helplessness in establishing righteousness before a holy God. Paul addresses this in Romans 10:3, where he speaks of the Jews being ignorant of God's righteousness and attempting to establish their own. This ignorance stems from a failure to understand both God's holiness and our sinfulness. The acknowledgment of sin is the first step toward salvation; it compels us to look outside ourselves to Christ, who is our righteousness. Understanding our need drives us to the grace of God, as seen in Romans 5:8, where we learn that Christ died for the ungodly, thereby showing us that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works.