Tag: Salvation

Digging in Deeper: Romans 3:27-31

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“Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law of faith. For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not!  On the contrary, we uphold the law.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

We are naturally drawn to the concept of equality. Now, we often confuse equality for fairness because fairness is easier to get our minds and selfish hearts around. Small children don’t complain, “That’s not equal!” They complain, “That’s not fair.” But whether we are thinking in terms of fairness or equality, we have to clarify which end of the process is getting our attention. When it comes to salvation, the God who saves us is just. As a result, He has created a path way to salvation that is perfectly fair and equal for all people. Let’s talk about what this means, how it works, and why it’s such a good thing.

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Morning Musing: Romans 3:25-26

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“God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

When an offense occurs, someone is responsible and someone is offended. There may be more than one responsible party, and there may be more than one offended party, but there is at least one of each. Indeed, if there is no offended party, then it wasn’t an offense. That is, it wasn’t wrong. And when this offense has occurred, it has to be made right or justice is never achieved. Today, let’s explore why God is always the ultimate offended party, and what He has done about making sure justice—His justice—is ultimately satisfied.

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Digging in Deeper: Romans 3:21-24

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“But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, attested by the Law and the Prophets. The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Everything has been building to this. For six weeks now, we have been working through Paul’s indictment of sin and sinners. It’s been eye-opening and bruising. Paul doesn’t let anyone escape the conclusion that everybody’s guilty. He even reemphasizes it here. But into this mess of guilt and sin, God offers us a way out. This is the good news. We may all be lawbreakers in one form or another (but not degree; we are all lawbreakers of the same degree because there’s only one degree), but God has provided a way out that doesn’t involve our keeping the law. Let’s start talking about this very good news.

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Morning Musing: Romans 3:7-8

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“But if by my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? And why not say, just as some people slanderously claim we say, “Let us do what is evil so that good may come”? Their condemnation is deserved!” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Incorrect thinking leads to bad ideas. As we have talked about before, bad ideas lead to all sorts of unfortunate consequences. To put that another way: Ideas have consequences; bad ideas have victims. As Paul nears the point where he lands with both feet on the emphatic conclusion of this opening section of his letter to the Roman believers, he addresses one more round of incorrect thinking. Let’s take a look at this with him.

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Digging in Deeper: Romans 2:2-4

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“Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. Do you think — anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same — that you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Self-righteousness is not a good look. What exactly is self-righteousness, though? Oxford says it is having an unfounded certainty of one’s moral superiority. Essentially, it’s the feeling that you are better than the people around you. Of course, you don’t feel that, but I’ll bet you know a bunch of other folks who seem to as far as you are concerned. In somewhat more robust theological terms, self-righteousness is the mindset that you have made yourself right with God. If our culture generally condemns the Oxford sort of self-righteousness, it ranges from being more ambivalent to openly encouraging of this second sort. Paul doesn’t agree. Let’s talk about why.

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