Romans 3:22b-26 - Justification from the Just God

22 for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 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; 26 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. - Romans 3:22b-26

Message: Justification from the Just God

Time: The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans from the Greek city of Corinth in AD 57, just three years after the 16 year old Nero had ascended to the throne as Emperor of Rome. Persecution of Christians wouldn't begin until AD 64. The church was experiencing times of relative peace. From where he wrote, Corinth, was a hotbed of sexual immorality and idol worship.

What the Lord is Saying:

As I read the text here today from Romans 3:22-26 what jumps out to me is I have sinned but I have been redeemed by the work of Jesus Christ. My committed sins are now overlooked by God because Jesus and His word demonstrated true righteousness. And I can be justified before God by my faith in Jesus. This is the gospel. My sin is real but God's work is greater. 

This continues to be the message of God that is overlooked. Instead people cry out continually that God is love. But people often miss what this means. They believe that God's love means that He freely accepts everyone and the notion of sin is not even in the equation. However a person wants to define their lives for God, though, He accepts them. The problem for the world I believe is the line between --what is evil and not-- is shrinking and so--what is acceptable behavior--is narrowing. But overall culture thinks that sin is not in the cards. As I talk to people about faith, the first order is to help them see their sin. For the gospel really only holds meaning if people can acknowledge that they are sinners and not perfect and in need of a redeemer. 

We know that God is just (Deut 32:4). While the Lord forgives iniquity or sin He still pronounces people guilty (Numbers 14:18). I love crime drama movies and genre film noir. The motif of those movies is generally about a wrongdoing and how that crime gets found out or exposed. In all of us, we need this. We need to see that crimes are not simply forgiven but their is punishment for a crime. I think in society it is not that we don't want this to happen but instead we have blurred the lines as to what is actually sin. It is horrible when a guilty person in life escapes their sin. Our society it seems right now has gone too far in that direction and is now acting as the judge of the sin they have branded, but God is the judge. We need to play by His rules. 

God is full of mercy in that He does not want anyone to perish (Psalm 86:15; 2 Peter 3:9). Some will take this to mean that man is therefore involved in his or her salvation because for God to choose would mean that He doesn't want all people saved. But it goes back to the idea of can man really make himself righteous and He can't. Only via God's righteousness can man be righteous. There is no good in me. The only good comes from God. So submit to His plan for being made righteous which is the meaning of today's passage from Romans 3:22-26. We are justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. I can't make myself righteous. 

In God's mercy He has made the way for me to be accepted. Justice has been served because Jesus is the Lamb of God; He is my sacrifice. He is my substitute. He is my redeemer. Verse 26 states that He is just. God punished sin through Jesus on the Cross and then Jesus conquered sin by rising again. The punishment was in full and it meant something because He rose again. 

Promise: God can always be trust. He is both just and the justifier. I must be defined by His truths. 

Prayer: O God, thank you for this truth, another reminder of tying this all together for me. I am unworthy. I am a sinner. You are the Savior. In your timing, You chose me and you provided the fulfillment of my salvation in Jesus Christ living a perfect life, dying and being punished for sin and then defeating it by rising again. Help that truth to become simple in my life and transferable to others. I want to testify of You continually as you enable me. Help me to rest in You each day and allow You to work. I can't manufacture your love or your ways in my life, but as your child, I can walk by faith. 

Question: Take a moment, and based upon this lesson, write out the gospel message.