Romans 3 - 5.13.25
SCRIPTURE: Romans 3:21-26 "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood - to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the One Who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."
OBSERVATION: Paul presented the facts about the lostness of humanity by explaining the truth about how everyone stands guilty before God. "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed innocent blood; Ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes." (v 10b-18).
Paul was writing to the Roman Gentile Christians. His description of humanity was pretty grim! He declared that we have ALL sinned, and that ALL sin leads to death. There is no distinction when it comes to being sinners, whether one is a Jew or Gentile, male or female, legalistic or a prominent and influential person. Our sin separates us from God, and no one is able to earn right standing with Him by our good works, and no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law, nor can the law protect anyone from God's judgment of their own, personal sinfulness. No amount of human performance will grant us access into heaven, and there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. We are lost and without hope, dead in our sins! BUT... because of God's great love for us, He made a way for our sins to be forgiven by sending Jesus to die in our place to take the punishment that we deserved! He paid the ultimate price by His sacrificial death on the cross. He lived a perfectly sinless life, and yet He was willing to die for the sins He never committed!
APPLICATION: The way to be declared "NOT GUILTY" is to trust Jesus, and believe that He paid for ALL of our sins: our past, present, and future sins! I became free from the bondage of sin and death the moment I put my faith in Jesus, and asked Him to forgive me. God's anger against my sin was satisfied in Christ's death, and Jesus became my Justifier! JUST IF I'D (never sinned!).
PRAYER: Thank You God for Your great love for me, and thank You Jesus for Your willingness to to die in my place, and take the punishment that I deserved! Thank You that those of us who have put our faith in Jesus are now justified and have been redeemed! Thank You that by Your grace, we have been freed from the penalty of our sins, and have been made right with You!
I pray, Holy Spirit that You will help me to become more and more like Jesus, and be able to effectively communicate the truth about man's sin and his need for the Good News of Jesus Christ.
- Robin Orefice
