Page 28 - Livin Light Issue 81

THIS WEEK’S BIBLE INSIGHTS ARE BY:
Celia Bowring and are based on Romans 3:21-31 (NIV)
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ MORE ON THIS WEEK’S MAJOR THEME:
Romans 5:1-11
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 the25 redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 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
Sunday July 2 - But now!
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.
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the
law... Romans 3:21
Up to now, Paul’s letter has described God’s attitude to humans’ failure to do what is right – both those who know his commandments, and everyone else who can see the beauty of God’s glory in nature and by listening to their consciences.
God‘s righteousness is the measure for our lives, but we fall short of it. We are like unevenly weighted balls in a bowling alley, that naturally swerve away from hitting the skittles. Instead of attaining the target of pleasing God our natural tendency is to seek satisfaction elsewhere. As a result, we suffer harm and others are affected too. Our holy God cannot ignore wrongdoing because he is perfect and just. And so we are liable to pay the penalty of sin – which is spiritual death, being separated from God and everything good.
Paul says two words: ‘But now...’ What changed? God made a different way to satisfy his justice but deal with us in mercy, providing a new kind of righteousness that flows from his loving heart. He sent his beloved Son to live blamelessly among us, never veering to the side but fulfilling the law. Then Jesus died on the cross, paying our ransom. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us grasp this truth, that becoming a Christian means a completely new start!
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Lord, please open this wonderful reality to me – that even though I fail, Jesus kept all your commands and took my punishment, dying in my place. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY