Romans 3:20-26 “By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a
propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
I read this month’s message by the late Pastor J. Vernon McGee that shines the gospel light on the question of how sinful humanity can stand before a just and holy God? We can’t. But, in Jesus Christ, because of His grace, because of the cross, we stand. He wrote that the Apostle Paul, in the Bible passage above, brings us to this great subject of how God saves sinners today: Salvation.
Ephesians 2:1-9 “You He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast”.
Pastor McGee explains that mankind is helpless and hopeless, paralyzed and unable to save themselves; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But God has provided a righteousness that enables us to stand before God. God provides this righteousness not by our working or paying for it, but God gives it to us as a gift. We can receive it only by faith. A gift not accepted and opened is not received if left wrapped and sitting there. Rach out by faith and open the gift. This is the only way in the world you can get saved today, because salvation from sin is a gift. You can’t work for a gift, you can’t pay for a gift, you can’t promise God anything. If you are going to receive His gift, you must reach out your hand in faith and receive what God has to offer. There is no exception in the human family, nobody is perfect, we are all sinners.
John 3:14-18 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Let's continue Dr. McGee's critical to life message in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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