His Gift of Righteousness

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Opening Prayer

King of the Kingdom that never ends, I celebrate You today. Thank You for Your love, power, and wisdom.

Read ROMANS 3:9-31

^[9] What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. ^[10] As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; ^[11] there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. ^[12] All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” ^[13] “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” ^[14] “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” ^[15] “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ^[16] ruin and misery mark their ways, ^[17] and the way of peace they do not know.” ^[18] “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” ^[19] Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. ^[20] Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. ^[21] But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ^[22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ^[23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ^[24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ^[25] 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- ^[26] 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. ^[27] Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. ^[28] For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. ^[29] Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, ^[30] since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. ^[31] Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Meditate

“Having described humankind’s disease (sin), Paul now describes God’s cure (deliverance). His righteousness, received by faith, gives us a new status, a new life, and an immortal hope” (A. M. Hunter). Thanks be to God!

Think Further

I was driving a long distance in Australia, chatting with my companion, following the car in front down a hill, when a police car appeared behind and indicated I should stop. A quick glance confirmed my excessive speed. I was guilty. His radar proved it. My previous law-keeping changed nothing. I paid the costly penalty. Here, quoting Scripture after Scripture, Paul proves the undoubted guilt of Jews and Gentiles. There are no exceptions. Multiple sins of speech and violence stand alongside those of not understanding, seeking, fearing or glorifying God. We easily identify the sins of others, but it’s harder to acknowledge our own failure to reach God’s mark. We must all acknowledge we can do nothing to become righteous. Sin pervades all of humanity. The Jewish Law only served to show how far short of God’s righteousness people fall.

However, the situation is not hopeless. “But now … God …” (21). Verses 21-26 have been called “possibly the most important single paragraph ever written” (L. Morris, Romans, p.173). What we were powerless to do, God has achieved. He freely gives his righteousness to those who receive it by faith. The immensity of God’s amazing work for us through Jesus’ death is difficult to convey. Paul, who is continually aware of its effectiveness in his own life, heaps metaphor on metaphor–the law court, the slave market, the Jewish sacrificial system. Together they show God’s justice. His wrath is satisfied and the sinner is granted acquittal, freedom and restoration of relationship. God himself bears the punishment for our sin. There is no reason to boast. Sometimes we Christians are boastful, adopting superior attitudes towards fellow believers of other denominations, nationalities, age groups, gender or social class. Faith levels all differences at the foot of the cross (Gal. 3:28).

Apply

Have you maintained superior attitudes toward other Christians? Have you treated other believers as unequal? Examine your heart, repent of any wrong attitudes and seek forgiveness at the cross.

Closing prayer

Father, I thank You for Your amazing grace. Truly, I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.

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