Romans 3:20-24
Now do you see it? No one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what the law commands. For the more we know of God’s laws, the clearer it becomes that we aren’t obeying them; his laws serve only to make us see that we are sinners. But now God has shown us a different way to heaven—not by “being good enough” and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us “not guilty”—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins. Romans 3:20-24 (TLB)
A collection of 613 commandments codified in the Torah – the first five books of the Hebrew Bible – governed the actions of Jews in ancient times. Indeed, it’s still used by Jews to guide their daily lives today. They cover proper ways to worship God, dietary restrictions, judicial procedure, financial rules, and a bunch of other stuff. There is a list in Wikipedia (search “613 commandments”), although the exact number is open to dispute among Jewish scholars. These rules, along with Jewish custom and tradition, are what is referred to as “the works of the law.”
But with the arrival of Jesus on the scene, a whole new paradigm took shape. Jews (and Gentiles) are not to see these laws as a means of salvation. You can’t be made righteous by following a bunch of rules. Rather they are a guide to make us aware of our sins and help us repent and change our ways.
We’re all sinners and nothing we do will fix that. But there’s some good news. The way to righteousness is faith in Jesus - nothing else required. And it’s open to anyone! So why don’t we just fire up the Sinner’s Express and party like rock stars? Well, we could do that and still be saved through our faith in Jesus – God’s freely given gift of grace.
But true belief in God and faith in Jesus implies a relationship built on love. We receive God’s boundless love through the Holy Spirit. It only seems right to reciprocate that love and share it with everyone around us. This is not a requirement for salvation, but the sign of a true loving bond.
George H. W. Bush said, “There is a God and He is good, and his love, while free, has a self-imposed cost: We must be good to one another.” (1988 Republican National Convention Acceptance Address, delivered 18 August 1988)
Questions for Reflection:
- Sometimes Faith is like a wrestling match:
- Do you BELIEVE in God – have an intellectual knowledge?
- Or do you Believe IN God – have an emotional relationship?
- Maybe some of both?
Prayer:
Hey God, Sometimes I don’t feel very deserving of your love. It’s pretty amazing that you keep hanging in there with me. Keep poking me through your Holy Spirit. I’ll try to pay attention. Thanks for everything. Amen.
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