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Passage: Romans 3:19-27
All passages in the Bible is a glimpse and a highlight of the one story that the Bibles is telling, so wherever you put your finger on the Bible it bring you and point you back to Jesus and the story Gospel. Our hope in this series is for the listeners to see the beauty and the unity of this story that is the Gospel. So for tonight we will be looking at what the Bible scholars are referring to as the heart of the Gospel in Romans 3 and together go deeper of what the apostle Paul is teaching of the good news.
In v.19-20
Now 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. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:19-20)This passage is setting up the heart of those who will be hearing this message. In the light of these verse it says that we cannot make an argument that we can declare our self good because in the basis of the law that was given we all are guilty and v.20 emphasizes that through the law we become aware that we are in need, to make us desperate and realize of our present condition with God.
As you read this verse it's clear that the apostle Paul is taking the stand that what he is preaching has the authority and whatever claims the listener will present stands on thin ice and he is here to break that ice. This is truth and it should be presented this way for whatever fault you will found in what is preached has no power to overcome this truth.
In v. 21-22
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: (Romans 3:21-22)But now from that despair of the first two chapter comes the good news, the hope that is being presented that there is righteousness that is apart from the law. Once you have come to that humbling moment in you life wherein you realizes your sinfulness and that you need help, then Jesus presents his offer the righteousness that is from, of and trough God wherein there is no other way except in Jesus, for all who will believe. This verse shows right there the centrality of Jesus in this gospel story, that is apart from him there is just despair. We are blessed that the gospel does not end in v. 19 and 20 wherein after presenting to you the agonizing truth of your present condition, leave you in that state but present to you that there is hope in Jesus if you will put you trust and hope in Him every moment of your life.
This righteousness has now a basis and that it is real therefore no one can say otherwise for this righteousness is accomplished by a real person, faced with the same temptation that in the eyes of God and man declared guilty of no sin and that is Jesus Christ.
In v.22
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: (Romans 3:22)This righteousness is made available for us through faith in Jesus Christ. It's the complete renunciation of our dependency in our own goodness and putting it in the finished work of Christ at the cross. This is finished, already done and what is required is the respond to that truth not the things we should do to attain. When it says depend, it means everyday of your life you put your faith in Him and what he has done, on His righteousness. We are to believe in the reality of the gospel even if the reality of the world drags you down and lie to your face that its not true. Even then, especially then we are to believe and put our faith because apart of living by the gospel message there is just nothing else. It's either death or life, salvation or damnation and no matter you believe it or not the truth of the gospel will never change.
In v. 22, 23 and 24
For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (Romans 3:22-24)This verse shows us the picture that at the foot of the cross the ground is level, that we are at an equal stand with God and all of us miserably failed. Again we cannot justify our self based on your own goodness in comparison to anyone. We cannot put our self higher than anyone in a pedestal in the basis of our merits and good works for no matter how high you think you can be if you stack it in top of the other it will always fall short and failed.
In v. 25
whom 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. (Romans 3:25)We are justified by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ . It means that God declares us not guilty of our sins and for it to happen someone has to pay the price or to satisfy the requirements of sin and death. God is a just God and He will never can be true to Himself if he will accept rebellion and dethronement from His creation. Jesus Christ satisfies that requirement and glorifies the father on His act on the cross that is why when God declares you righteous through His son then no one can condemn you, no one can say otherwise because you are not pardoned but justified. The condition of a believer before wherein he/she is at war with God and His wrath that is upon us has now been absorbed by Christ on the cross, not towards you anymore. Through faith it is being credited to us, all of His accomplishments. It means that when Christ represent us in front of God what He sees is what Christ has done and not our accomplishment.
In conclusion in v. 31
Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. (Romans 3:31)That is the response of those who has received Him and put his trust on Him. We uphold the law, we turn from our old ways and repent, trust in His name and live by the salvation we received. We don't get to accept Him and live the same way but by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ and that is the gospel.
Photo by: Nathaniel Callanta
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