Thoughts on a Daily Devotional – Romans 3

So in order to keep this blog kind of short, I’m not going to post all of chapter 3 of Romans but I’ll post a link to Bible Gateway so you can read it before I go into it: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%203&version=31

I know I had to read this passage a couple of times to get the gist of what was going on.  The first two or three verses talk about the advantage of being a Jew or as I picture it the saved and chosen ppl of God. The answer that was given was that first we have been entrusted with the word of God. Reflecting on that, Christians have been given such an awesome power and responsibility because we have been trusted with something as precious as the words of God who has the power to speak things into existence. It only reminds me that we as Christians can’t doubt God or the power he has given us and required us to share with others.  And yet, some of us would hide the word just for ourselves without speaking a Word to others or worse we don’t even know the Word for ourselves. We can’t ever know the awesomeness of God and his faithfulness if we don’t read and digest his Word.

In the next verses, Paul makes the point that all men aren’t perfect, going about it in some biblical legalese. He talks about God always being true while all people are liars so that God may be proved right when he judges all as has been written and prophesied long ago. Of course, this seems like a set up because if we are all “liars” and unable to follow the Laws given to us by God, then why should we bother to follow the Law or worse be condemned for not being able to obey the law?

Because following the law is not a tool to measure our righteousness but rather to remind us that we are imperfect and that God has been just and good to us. See, it is not by observing the law that God redeems us righteousness as stated in the old contract and covenant. Rather, there is a new covenant by which God deems us righteous, as illustrated in verses 22-26 which have been included below.

“22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,^[i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

Isn’t that amazing? God in his infinite wisdom and power granted grace and mercy, sacrificing Jesus his only son to atone for those sins. It is only by these things that we are still living and breathing today, because God loved us enough to save us from our punishment and give us power to preach and teach this Gospel to others. This of course goes back to the first couple of verses that talk about being entrusted with the word of God, and being responsible enough to share that with others. Paul ends this by saying this faith doesn’t trump the law, but rather we uphold the law because of our faith. So it seems cyclical in effect that we are using the law as a constant reminder of God’s mercy to us despite our unrighteousness forcing us to further have faith in Him, to trust in Him, and know that God has all power in His hand.

So much power that, God can trump tradition and make anything he wants righteous. Haven’t you noticed that God uses people that the world has neglected and rejected and in return, God is glorified because of them? He certainly didn’t have to use Saul because of his history in persecuting God’s chosen ppl, and yet He had that much power to wipe Saul’s slate clean and make him into a new creature in Christ. Today, I pray that despite my history and how I could be considered unrighteous by tradition, that God will continue to mold me and shape me into a new creature in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord for your everlasting grace and mercy and all the honor and glory belong to you, forever and ever. Amen

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