Romans 3:21-25a But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 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, whom God put forward as a propitiation (as an acceptable payment in full) by his blood, to be received by faith.
I heard a great Bible Study this week that I’d like to share the notes that I wrote down. I pray that they bring as much light of truth and is as great a blessing to you as it was for me.
We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners. We are “lost” because we are sinners. Laws are for order and peace. God demands and God provides because we can not. We have nothing to offer, but our great need. We are completely lost outside of Christ. There is no such thing as middle ground. There is no such thing as trying to come some other way. Religion can not save you, but Christ can save you. Jesus is the Savior of the world. It’s not trust or hope or faith that saves us (though faith is the instrument). It is the object of faith that is the important thing. It’s Christ! By Jesus’ atoning blood and merit that we are saved. Come to Jesus and receive deliverance. The love of God is revealed in Jesus Christ. God offer is universal to who-so-ever in scope, but limited to those who believe by faith. The sinner must have either the righteousness or the wrath of God, and both of them are revealed from heaven. The guilty hope for one of four circumstances: (1) to not let their crime be discovered, or (2) to get beyond jurisdiction and the long arm of the law, or (3) if caught, to get off on a technicality, or (4) if convicted, to escape from Prison. But these hopes are useless in the economy of the omnipotent Maker of the Universe and all that lives & breathes. The goodness and blessings of God should lead you and I to Him and to repentance. Do you have a Savior or don’t you? Got Jesus?
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
God is merciful and just. The gospel has not changed God’s attitude towards sin. We do not get by with sin; it will be judged. The gospel has made it possible to accept the sinner by Jesus paying our penalty and is the “way unto salvation”. You either have Christ or you don’t. This may be dogmatic, but this is the truth. Either you are in Christ, which is what it means to be “saved”, or you are completely lost. We are absolutely saved in Christ and this is the gift of God; not earned, deserved or paid for by us. The process is (1) admission, (2) remission, & (3) submission. (1) Admit that we have sinned against a just & holy God and are a sinner that can not save ourselves. (2) Accept God offer of salvation through, His Son, Jesus Christ’s atoning death on the Cross that remits of sins by imputing them upon the Savior, while the Redeemer’s sin-free life is imputed to the Believer. (3) Regeneration of the spirit and indwelling of the Holy Spirit, submitting our life to Jesus as Lord, in trust and obedience, in His perfect Word, Will, and Way. We are complete in Christ. Christians are no longer in debt to sin in this lost and dying world. Praise be to God and our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!
Romans 1:4-6 He was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
In Christ, Brian
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