Romans 3
COMMENTARY:
: 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one. (889 “unprofitable” [achreioo] means make useless, render unserviceable, become depraved, to be or become characterized as having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully, become perverse, or corrupted.)
DEVOTION: There are two directions people can go. They can either turn toward the LORD or continue in the direction they are going away from the LORD. Everyone born into the world is part of the family of the devil. There is none righteous no not one.
How can we say that? It is because Jesus said it to the religious leaders while HE was here on the earth. The Pharisees were telling Jesus that their father was Abraham and HE stated that their father was the devil. It really upset them but it was the truth because Jesus never lied. HE is God. They were religious but not true followers of the LORD.
So every human being has to realize where they are and find out how to turn toward the LORD. This only happens through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the person’s life. The Holy Spirit is here in the world to convict of sin in those who are outside of Christ and those who are followers of Christ. HE shows those outside of Christ that they are headed in the wrong direction and gives them an opportunity to change direction. It is not easy to turn to follow the LORD but the Holy Spirit can give the courage to change directions.
Everyone one of our friends and family needs to make a choice regarding their relationship to the LORD. They have no excuse when then stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment. HE will show them that they had a choice and they chose to continue to go away from HIM.
CHALLENGE: Our witness is very important to those we love in their decision making process.
: 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (1344 “justified” [dikaioo] means to render just or innocent, be righteous, free, put right with, vindicate, declare righteous, acquit, set free, remove guilt, treat as just, the act of clearing someone from transgression, think fit or to render righteous.)
DEVOTION: What is our relationship to the Law of Moses or the Ten Commandments? Paul was saying that the Law of Moses was given to tell us what sin is in the sight of God. The Ten Commandments were given to show us that we can’t obey them all. Once we realize that we can’t keep the Law of Moses, we realize that there must be another way to heaven.
What is that way to heaven? It is only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ as our substitute. HE died for our sins. With HIS death the wrath of God was satisfied. All those who become followers of Jesus Christ will inherit eternal life in heaven.
Paul continues to show that all men are born in sin. All humans have a sin nature since Adam. There is NONE right with God, no not one. We are eternally separated from God until HE reaches down and calls us to follow HIM. We are not saved by our works but by FAITH in the atonement of the blood of Jesus Christ. God the Father looks at those who are followers of Christ through HIS shed blood. Our sins are washed away.
Once our sins are washed in the blood of Jesus HE can look at us and see HIS Son’s sacrifice. We are redeemed. We have the remission of sin. We are just as if we never sinned as far as HE is concerned.
HE was our propitiation or appeasing sacrifice. Without this sacrifice everyone would spend eternity in the Lake of Fire with the devil and his angels (demons). All those who reject the offer of salvation are going to go there. The sad truth is that a MAJORITY of those who have ever lived have rejected the offer of God. HE has no choice, due to HIS holiness, but to send them where they want to go – the Lake of Fire.
Many people think that they are keeping the Ten Commandments but with the redefinition of Christ in the Sermon on the Mount we find that we all break the Commandments. Keeping the Ten Commandments can save no one. WHY? Because no one can keep them. Remember they were given to show us God’s standard. We can’t meet God’s standard. Therefore we should be going to the lake of fire for eternity.
However, the death of Christ provided a way to enter heaven. Christ’s blood was the payment necessary for our salvation. Because of Christ’s blood we can be declared righteous. With Christ’s righteousness credited to our account we can spend eternity in heaven. Praise the LORD!!!
CHALLENGE: There are currently many books out there covering this subject, remember to read the Bible first. God has reckoned the blood of Christ to everyone who believes.
: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (5302 “come short” [hustereo] means lack, be behind, be destitute, to fail, devoid of, lack benefit, fail to obtain, or be in need.)
DEVOTION: This verse states that all are sinners. There is not one person who ever lived except Christ that has not sinned. Sin has consequences not only here on earth but into eternity. Some people seem to get away with sin while they are living here on the earth but they will pay for eternity in the lake of fire reserved for the devil and his angels. The angels who fell before man will never have another opportunity to become followers of God. Those who die outside of Christ will not have another opportunity after death. Death is final for eternity to those who reject Jesus Christ. They fail to obtain life in heaven with God.
Works are what many religions teach will get individuals into heaven. Good works include giving money to the church or religious organization. They also include spreading the false message of the organization.
Many have been led astray from the genuine message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are told that if they give their time, talent and treasure to the LORD they will make it into heaven. The problem is that is not enough.
What needs to be given to the LORD in order to get into heaven? Accepting the message of salvation given in the Gospel is the only way to heaven. There needs to be confession of sin and a turning to the LORD in repentance. It is the heart of the individual that God looks at in relationship to HIS Son.
God is not concerned with externals as a way to heaven. HE is looking at the heart of the individual. HE looks at our motives for our works. HE looks at our motives for our giving. HE wants us to serve HIM out of love and thankfulness.
Too many places of worship promise what they cannot give. Heaven is only given by Jesus Christ through HIS death on the cross for our sins. HE died on the cross was buried and came back to life through a resurrection from the dead. HE is alive.
We are to serve a living Savior by giving glory to God. If we are giving glory to God we will say “thank you” to God through our actions. Our actions will have the proper motive of giving glory to God only not glory for ourselves. Our whole desire is to advance HIS message around the world.
CHALLENGE: Remember that sin is in our nature but the LORD promises a new nature where HE can give us victory over temptation. We are no longer lacking the benefit of heaven for eternity.
: 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the JUSTIFIER of him which believes in Jesus. (1344 “Justifier” [dikaiow] means be freed, be righteous, to render righteous or such he ought to be, one to be righteous, declare righteous, put into a right relationship, to pronounce and treat as righteous, to acquit or to vindicate.)
DEVOTION: God the Father sent God the Son into the world to save the world from sin. The only sacrifice that the Father could except for the sins of mankind was a perfect sacrifice. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice because HE was sinless. HE was the only one who could go to the cross in our place.
The Father can declare all those who follow Jesus Christ just in HIS sight because Jesus shed HIS blood in our place. HE was the perfect substitute for us. We couldn’t justify ourselves before God because we could never stop sinning on our own. We were born in sin and were going to die in sin if we never received the gift of justification from the Father because of HIS Son.
Our faith is the gift that God gave us and we give back to HIM every day of our life until HE comes or HE takes us in death. In the time between now and when we meet HIM in death we need to manifest our faith to others. They can see the change that has taken place in our life and ask us how they can change to become a follower of Christ.
Our responsibility is to inform them that they can’t change on their own but through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in their life. HE is given the moment a person changes direction to follow Christ.
CHALLENGE: It is through the ministry of the Holy Spirit that we can live a life that is pleasing to the LORD. We can’t do it on our own. We need the Holy Spirit active in our lives.
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