February 22, 2018
Romans 3:21-31 New Living Translation (NLT)
God chose for his children to be saved by faith through grace. Why do you think God chose faith as the necessary action for salvation? I believe it is because faith presses us to admit there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. God is holy and we are sinners in need of cleansing and the impartation of the Spirit of Holiness. Faith exalts what God has done for us—taking our sins upon himself—and our willingness to simply receive his gift of forgiveness. Faith calls us into relationship with a loving God who wants us to know the extent to which he would go to bring righteousness to us so he can be with us. Amazing! Thank you, God!
In our passage today, the Apostle Paul is reminding the church in Rome about their need for faith in Jesus Christ. He also challenges the new believers to continue the journey with the Spirit of Holiness; being made into the image of Christ (Love) one day at a time. Don’t stop your journey at the cross. Bow at the cross, then move beyond it to find the richness of grace awaiting to bring you even closer to our Holy and Loving Lord. Ponder that for a moment, because it should excite your soul!
Romans 3:21-31 Christ Took Our Punishment
21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
29 After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.[b] 31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for not only providing me the faith to be saved, but the faith to grow in my salvation. Please continue to lead me in righteous living. In Jesus’ name. Amen.