Romans

Good Morning!

Well, it was just as good as I thought it might be. For ninety minutes, the messenger held his audience spellbound as he voiced the Word of God given through Paul to the Church at Rome (and now to us). No one stirred for the entire period as the Scripture was brought to life for us to see. It was great.

My cup overflows … there is so much that I would like to share but I know your time is limited so I will just touch another highlight in this great book of Romans.

Romans 3:19-31 (English Standard Version)

19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For by works of the law no human being[a] will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
The Righteousness of God Through Faith
21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Footnotes:
a. Romans 3:20 Greek flesh

What is Paul talking about? When Paul is speaking about the law, he is talking about the Mosaic Law (not just the Ten Commandments but all the Law given in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. What the Law did was to reveal to mankind the inability to be justified before God. In short, it was like a floodlight illuminating the shortcomings of man in his attempt to have a relationship with God. Too often we attempt to “do right” and “be good” in the vain hopes of squaring things with God. But no matter how good or righteous I might be, I still fall way short of the requirement of God which is perfection.

Instead of relying on me, I need to put my faith in Jesus Christ who, alone, met the high standard of God – and thus became a worthy sacrifice for my sin and for your sin. And that faith is the only way that we might be justified. And when we do trust God, we not only are justified – we also uphold the Law. So as we enter this weekend, let us remember to trust God for our everything.

Agape’

Mr. Jim