Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;
Romans 3:19
Here we see that the purpose of the
Law can be summarized in two words - 'Shut Up!' The Law silences every person.
When 613 demands are placed before you, the wisest thing is to say nothing at
all. If you think you can get right by your doing, the Law virtually places the
standard too high for us to reach.
because by the works of the Law no
flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge
of sin. (3:20)
The Law does its work when it shows me
my problem, so that I would seek a solution. Do you truly believe that you can
sin a billion times without adding or even affecting your status as a sinner?
When we realize this we see that rightness comes not by doing, but by our
trusting. By the way of works, indeed, not one single human being will be made
right with God.
But now apart from the Law the
righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the
Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith for all those who
believe; for there is no distinction; (3:21-22)
If God makes us right, then how right
have we become? There is actually a bragging, but it is not of our works, but
our confidence in God who gave us our righteousness. We are either right or
wrong - there are no levels to righteousness. And when we are right, we ought
to believe that this is the same righteousness of God, in Jesus Christ.
This righteousness does not come by
works, but through faith. This breaks any distinction between Jew and Gentile -
the righteousness of God comes through believing in Christ, regardless of other
things that may form our identity - race, gender, profession, etc. - by this we
realize, It's not about us or what we do, but it's all about who Christ is and
what He did for us.
for all have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption
which is in Christ Jesus; (3:23-24)
The biggest misunderstanding about
Christianity is that we allegedly believe that God grades on a curve - that
'we'll see if we make it'... but righteousness is not progressive! Rightness is
not progressive! You either have been made right by faith, or you're still
trying. Have you trusted, or are you trying?
We have been made right as a gift by
the grace of God - it's a gift, and though we think we can pay God back for the
gift, we can't. Think of it this way - a billionaire comes to your home and
offers to give you a billion dollars. While you may be excited at first,
eventually some questions come out - 'Why? What's the catch? What's this for?'
Of course, we would also bring
ourselves to asking God why He did what He did, and why He gave it all as a
gift - well, to be frank, there was no other way for us to be saved than for
Him who has everything to become nothing, that those of us who had nothing
would be everything. There was no other way for us to be justified. God paid a
whole lot for us...
...and will we be receivers? This is a
gift, and it's free.
whom God displayed publicly as a
propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His
righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins
previously committed; (3:25)
God displayed Jesus publicly as a
satisfying sacrifice, a perfect blood offering for us to be perfectly cleansed
and perfectly saved - It's intentional for Christ to be presented as such in
public, that many and all who believe would be witnesses of the way of grace.
We are strange in the sense that this is a way that counters the way of the
world, a world that preaches that you do before you receive. We receive, and
therefore, we do.
for the demonstration, I say, of His
righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier
of the one who has faith in Jesus. (3:26)
When we see ourselves as people who
were used to being self-centered, egotistic, and even egomaniacal, having faith
in Jesus does take some effort. While we may know in our hearts that it's about
faith, the world would still tell us, without relent, that it's about works and
what we do. The ego pushes back any efforts to trust... and people push back
thinking that they can make it through morality and ethics.
But see, this is the effect of the
fruit of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil.. and we have all be
tricked into thinking this ourselves; but praise God because we have been led
to trust instead of trying.
Let's trust, and let's see what
happens. There will be disappointments, but the thing is, Christ is faithful to
finish what He began in us.
Where then is boasting? It is
excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. (3:27)
How much bragging is there in this
life? If it was about our doing, well, it's always going to be about
bragging... but if it's a gift, then we not only stop bragging, but we start
appreciating the gift in others, too!
This, this is such a refreshing call
for us who are used to getting ahead by getting ahead of others! Knowing that
the righteousness and favor we have with God is a gift given to us which has
nothing to do with who we are and what we do humbles us and also enables us to
empower others instead of tearing them down! We brag in Jesus, and we applaud
Christ in others!
For we maintain that a man is
justified by faith apart from works of the Law. (3:28)
Our relationship, our rightness has
nothing to do with what we're doing... and we ought to remember this because
every morning we may go back to the delusion that our favor with God is
maintained with our performance. We ought to always remember that we are okay
with God because of Christ's finished work.
Now to the one who works, his wage is
not credited as a favor, but as what is due. (Romans 4:1)
Entitlement accompanies work. If
rightness came by working, earning, then you will be getting what you deserve.
This sense of working and earning and deserving would leave us looking at God
as if we were deserving, instead of receiving. We need to be receivers, and not
deservers.
But to the one who does not work, but
believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as
righteousness (4:5)
'To the one who does not work' - how
confounding! To get salvation, we do not work. To have righteousness, we are
asked to 'not work'. There is an art to doing nothing. We rest and appreciate
the righteousness of God imputed to us by the finished work of Jesus Christ. We
would do so much more when we lay aside our efforts, and place our focus on
Christ and what He has done for us instead...
"just as David also speaks of the
blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
'BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE
BEEN COVERED. BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT.'" (4:6-8)
Therefore it was also credited to
(Abraham) as righteousness. Now not for his sake only was it written that it
was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as
those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, (4:22-24)
What does it mean to be saved?
A person comes to rightness with God
when it dawns on them that Jesus Christ had to do it, because we couldn't - He
had to die on the cross to take away all our sins, once for all. Jesus Christ
rose from the dead in order to gift me eternal life. When we believe this about
Him, and when we believe that He has the authority to save me, we open our
doors to receive Him in our lives.
With that, (1) our sins are forgiven
and taken away forever, and (2) He gifts me eternal life.
He who was delivered over because of
our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. (4:25)
Christ made us right by resurrection.
Resurrection life is eternal life, and we are right by resurrection. We aren't
right by the cross alone, but we are right by the resurrection of Christ. We
possess in us the resurrected Christ. He was raised for our rightness.
Therefore, having been justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (!) (Romans 5:1)
Summary:
Law shuts everyone up. No one is made
right by works.
We are made right with God as a free
gift of His grace.
He died for our sins.
He was raised to make us right.
We have peace with God through Him.
Application:
Are you trying or trusting?
The way of trying is a dead end. It
starts with trusting, it continues with trusting, and it ends with trusting.
_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com.
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26