Romans 3 - But Now...
- Chad Werkhoven
- May 11, 2022
- 2 min read
Two words change everything. Be sure you know them well.
Read / Listen to the chapter:
Read the chapter in an outlined format
Watch previous DIG DEEPER video post
Romans 3 Summary
In chapter one, we read about how all people have an instinct to suppress the knowledge of God's truth, which if not corrected leads to God giving them over more and more to sin, which leads to more suppression of the truth, an on and on.
In chapter two, we were remined that 'churchy' people like us are just as sinful, if not worse, than the most vile pagan.
Now just when we think it can't get any worse, it does.
The first half of chapter three indicates that even though God's people have been given God's Word, we've been unfaithful in living according to it, and therefore need grace. Paul then uncorks a brutal string of Old Testament texts to drive home the point that all people are hopelessly addicted to sin.
Thankfully, the good news finally breaks through in v21, with two of the most beautiful words in the Bible:
But now...
Things have changed in a huge way! There is hope because God supplies the righteousness we need for life with Him through Jesus Christ!
Because this righteousness comes completely by faith and not by works, we have nothing to boast about on our own.
Dig Deeper
Verse 23-24 should be memorized by all Christians:
for all
have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God,
and are
justified by his grace as a gift,
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus...
Notice the comprehensive nature of the first claim: all have sinned. There is nobody who's been exempted from this conviction.
But not all people will find salvation from this awful predicament. Only those who have received the free grace of God will be redeemed. As v28 points out, the only way this grace can be had is through faith, and not by earning it on our own.
In other words, only those who are in Christ will be saved. The next 8 chapters of Romans will explain exactly what this means, and how you can be assured of this free gift of salvation.
AAA Prayer:
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our holy Father is the one who will hold the whole world accountable to sin (v20)
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as you live in faith, you will uphold God's law (v31)
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
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