Page 29 - Livin Light Issue 81

Monday July 3 - Our sin, Christ’s grace
...all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace
as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus... Romans 3:23-24
The ‘glory of God’ is the awesome totality of his magnificent perfection – everything that is pure, wise, powerful, beautiful, life-giving and good. This God of three distinct Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – is the source of all love, expressed throughout eternity towards one another and shared with humanity. But our sin creates a great gulf between us and God’s perfection because we have turned away from him.
How did sin start? Genesis 2 describes how every person has been made in God’s image, and is beloved by him; and in perfect, peaceful Eden, Adam and Eve lived in complete harmony with the Creation and its Creator. Tragically, they gave in to the serpent’s temptation to question God’s love and truth. Instead of trusting him they turned away, trying to work out what was right and wrong for themselves. They preferred independence to the Father’s embrace, and every human since has followed this decision to reject God’s glory and perfect ways.
The good news of the gospel is that Jesus came from heaven ‘to manifest the righteousness of God’ (v 21). While we were still indifferent and rebellious he laid down his perfect life, taking upon himself the punishment for the world’s sin. Him dying meant we can live. He did this for you, because he loves you forever and rejoices that now you can be part of the Father’s family.
Loving Father, thank you for sending Jesus to redeem us. I am so grateful that this means I can receive your forgiveness and grace. Amen.
Tuesday July 4 - Judge and Justifier, both at once ...to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just
and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:26
Where justice breaks down social disorder soon follows, and we are rightly outraged whenever political power, bribery, intimidation and other unlawful actions lead to the guilty going free and innocent people being punished. Britain’s justice system says it expects those within it to be examples of integrity and impartiality.
I do enjoy a TV courtroom drama, guessing who’s telling the truth and who is lying as the case unfolds. Sometimes the judge actually sets aside wig and robes, leaves the bench and gets involved with the investigation, revealing crucial evidence just in time for justice to be done. On rare occasions, in sympathy for them, a judge may even pay the fine imposed on the guilty person. But he or she can never allow someone who is guilty to be counted as innocent.
We saw yesterday that as sinners we deserve God’s judgment. Romans 6:23 says that ‘the wages of sin is death’, putting humanity in an impossible situation and also grieving our loving Father, whose nature is to show mercy. Justice cannot be denied, but if the Judge himself pays this extreme death penalty we, the guilty, can receive this mercy and walk free! The rest of Romans 6:23 explains the wonderful news that ‘the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ By sending his Son, who willingly came to die, the Judge became the Justifier.
Lord Jesus, I put my faith in your selfless sacrifice. Thank you for suffering on the cross to satisfy justice and to save me. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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