FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

Scripture Reference: Romans 3:21-31

The Divine Provision – Continued

Does true righteousness come from trying to live a good life and hoping God will reward our feeble attempts as many in the USA Weekend survey seem to believe? It would if God expected us to be sincere people with good intentions.

Neither approach, however, is acceptable to God. There is only one way to be right with God and settle the question of our eternal destiny. It is the way of faith . . . faith in the Christ who has done for us what we are incapable of doing for ourselves. What does it mean to have faith in Jesus Christ?

As an example, I read of an incident regarding a man who attends a well-thought of church. He was cutting firewood alone in the woods. As he was cutting down a huge tree, an unexpected and tragic event occurred. The tree rebounded off a limb nearby causing the base of the falling tree to swirl off its stump and land on his leg. He suffered a crushing blow to his right foot and ankle so severe that were it not for the leather boot he was wearing, his foot would have been severed at the ankle. Being a strong man, he sought to drag himself nearly a mile to the outskirts of the woods in spite of the difficulty and excruciating pain. It became increasingly apparent to him, however, he was not going to make it. At that point, he called for help. A farmer in a field nearby heard his pleas for help and came to assist him. Soon a rescue team in a helicopter flew him to a hospital where emergency surgery took place. By the time this incident was reported in the media, it stated that he is recovering with the hope that, not only will his foot be saved from amputation, but he will walk again someday without assistance.

When I first read this, I thought that his experience serves as an example of the meaning of faith. Although he may have wanted to be able to get to the hospital on his own, the fact is he had no option but to admit it was an impossible task and trust himself to the rescuers who could do for him what he was incapable of doing for himself. That’s what it means to have faith in Jesus. While we may want to entertain the illusion that our goodness (and our strengths) merits the grace of God, the fact is our goodness is hardly good enough. To trust Jesus means that I admit there is no way to win God’s favor by sincere and optimistic self-effort, but by a grateful acceptance of His Divine assistance.

Having seen, then, what God has done for us in Jesus Christ, we face again the question of the survey. What are your chances of going to heaven? Three observations are in order; the conclusion of which I hope will help you settle the question in your own mind once and for all.

Not chance, but choice. First, going to heaven is not a matter of chance, but choice. The choice is yours as well as mine. We may choose the way of self-effort and be destined to live a frustrated and defeated life. We may choose the way of chance and be destined to live in uncertainty and fearfulness and unfailing doubts. Or, we may choose God’s way which is the way of faith in Jesus Christ and live, not only in this life, but in the life to come. The choice is there. The decision is yours. Jesus stated it this way,

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14).

But, you may find it. God’s way is right before you. The issue is, “Will you choose it?”

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: Romans 3:21-31

The Divine Provision

Divine intervention is where Paul makes his second point which relates to God’s provision for our human problem. In verses 24-25, Paul describes what God has done for persons like us who fall short of His expectations. It all relates to what Jesus has accomplished for us on the cross. To help us understand, Paul used three illustrations. Each one provides a beautiful facet of truth in the diamond of God’s provision provided through Jesus Christ.

Justified

The first illustration given is drawn from the court of law and the important word justified. The active form of the verb means to pronounce righteous, put in the right, or acquit. It is a legal term and pictures a guilty person standing before a righteous judge awaiting his dreadful sentence. The verdict comes back however, “Not guilty.” Humans are guilty. We fall short. Yet, when the expected verdict is guilty, God remarkably declares “not guilty” to those who trust in Jesus Christ.

Redemption

A second illustration is drawn from the slave market. The word is redemption. While the force of the metaphor may escape us who live in the modern world, it was familiar to people in New Testament times. Slaves were brought to the marketplace where potential buyers gathered. The buyers would examine them and, if they so desired, would buy them by paying a ransom price. Thus, a slave’s liberation was purchased by a liberator.

Paul viewed all humans like slaves held captive by sin and incapable of delivering themselves. Christ is the liberator who purchases the freedom by paying the ransom price Himself. Enslaved by sin, people are set free by Christ.

Propitiation

The final illustration used by Paul to depict God’s provision for the human predicament is that of the altar of sacrifice. The word is propitiation. In biblical Greek, the verb form is a sacrificial term describing the annulment of sin. Some Scripture scholars feel a better word for translating this Greek word would be expiation or the means of forgiveness. As such, it would refer to the mercy seat as described in Exodus 25. In ancient Hebrew practice, the high priest annually made atonement for the sins of Israel by taking a blood sacrifice into the holy of holies and sprinkling it on the mercy seat. Therefore, Paul was saying that the crucified Christ became for the world what the mercy seat was for the Israelites. The death of Christ on the cross becomes the means by which we may experience the mercy, grace, and forgiveness of God.

Therefore continuing on, Paul asks, “Then what becomes of our boasting?” That’s like asking “Where does one’s sense of confidence come from with regard to one’s own eternal destiny?” Does it come from obedience to God’s laws as the people of Paul’s day might have argued? It would if people could fulfill the demands of the law without error, but such is impossible because the Bible tells us if you break the smallest of the commandments, you’ve broken the whole Law (see James 2:10).

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: Romans 3:21-31

The Human Problem

The first point Paul makes relates to our common human problem. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” In the mind of Paul, all human beings (Jew, Gentile or otherwise) have one basic problem. We are all sinners; every last one of us. The Greek verb translated sinned means to miss the mark. It is a word drawn from the athletic world which relates to the idea of a marksman’s arrow missing the target. The expression fall short is a second athletically related phrase which connotes the idea of a runner lagging or falling behind in a race.

What did Paul want to say to his readers by the employment of these two ideas? Simply, that mankind, humans, are incredibly inept, even with all our capabilities. At being morally and ethically righteous before God, we truly miss the mark and fall short. The word righteous means to live in such a way as to be morally and ethically pleasing to God.

For many years now, especially in recent years, the tendency has been to look upon people who are well-educated and culturally refined as outside the need of God’s grace and forgiveness. We have no problem looking at those at the bottom of society’s rung as in need of redemption. However, for those who through education and cultural development improve their social standing, we sometimes forget that in every person, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jeremiah 17:9). The King James Version translates it to say the heart is desperately “wicked.” It makes no difference if that heart beats in the chest of a Harvard graduate or a Harlem beggar. Both persons are in need of God’s grace and forgiveness. True righteousness is impossible apart from God’s help.

Recently, there was a story reported in social media of one of the nation’s most eminent psychiatrists who had resigned his position at Harvard Medical School after admitting he had plagiarized large sections of several articles he wrote in medical journals and textbooks. When I first read the story, I wondered how a man of his intellectual prowess, educational accomplishment, and social grace could succumb to something like plagiarism to get himself ahead in the academic world. But then, I remembered Paul’s words that we all “fall short” and “miss the mark.” We are all sinners. The human problem is the same for all humans, regardless of education or social standing.

Paul was writing about persons not unlike many today who thought they could be pleasing and acceptable to God by a meticulous obedience of all God’s laws. The Bible makes clear that, in spite of our best intentions, we fall short of God’s expectations and miss the mark of perfection. In short, we need help. Which of us would be so bold as to claim we’ve never made a mistake?

I read an illustration of a minister who was trying to make the point that we are all guilty and imperfect. After a series of rhetorical questions, he asked his congregation, “Is there any person here who would dare to claim you’ve never made a mistake . . . that you are perfect? If so, stand up!”

He scanned the congregation for any response, but of course, there was none. Just as he prepared to proceed with the message, however, one man sitting near the back stood to his feet.

Somewhat startled, the minister questioned him, “Sir, do you claim to be perfect?”

“Oh, no,” retorted the man. “I just thought someone should stand on behalf of my sister’s husband!”

We laugh about that only because it is preposterous to think that any of us are in any way perfect. There are two options open to the person who wants to be acceptable to God. Either he can set out to live a life that will be so perfectly pleasing to God that he will be rewarded with eternal life, or he may decide that is hopeless and trust himself completely to God who is able to do for him what he cannot do for himself.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture Reference: Romans 3:21-31

Please read the verses I have listed above. Paul’s writing in these verses is the heart of the gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul makes two basic points in this passage with multiple illustrations drawn from his rich Hebrew heritage.

In a past edition of USA Weekend, the findings of a poll conducted across America were published. The question raised was, “What are your chances of going to heaven?” Seventy-two percent of the U.S. citizens interviewed rated their chances of making it to heaven as good to excellent. One man from central United States rated his chances of going to heaven at fifty-fifty. “The older I get, the more I think my chances will improve,” the man said.

Another responded, “I don’t think the entrance exam will be all that tough!”

And, one woman from about the same area said, “You have to be more than a nice person. But, I’m still in the running.”

Before explaining the question scripturally, a few observations are in order. To begin with, many of the respondents expressed the belief that going to heaven is a matter of chance. Are they right? Is it just a gamble like going to the races and hoping you’ve wagered on the right horse? Or, is going to heaven something more than a matter of chance? These are questions I want my readers to think about.

In addition to this, many of those responding indicated an understanding of salvation based on human effort. For example, with regard to the matter of going to heaven, one person said, “You just have to be a good person.” Is that all it takes? Just being a good person? Trying to live right and not breaking the Ten Commandments?

A third observation however did regard the Bible itself. What does the Bible say about one’s chances of going to heaven was the question? None of the respondents seemed remotely aware of the scriptural requirements of going to heaven. Since it is from the Scriptures that we learn what little we know about heaven, it would seem there should be a desire on the part of people to know what the Bible says about the subject. But, interestingly, many neither know the Scriptures nor display much curiosity in settling the question once and for all from the standpoint of the Bible.

What are your chances of going to heaven? I believe the question itself raises an existential anxiety in all of us. We want to know even though we may treat the subject somewhat flippantly. I am convinced that, until the question is settled in our own hearts and minds, our anxiety and some doubts will remain. Conversely, when we have answered the question scripturally, we will be free to celebrate life and face death and eternity with fearless assurance.

In the event you haven’t guessed it already, I’m convinced what the Bible says about getting into heaven is right and more than that is truthful. Scripture is and for the longest time has always been my authority. If you do not share my conviction, or if you still have some reservations as to the Bibles authenticity, read the next chapter. If you do, it is my hope that the paragraphs which follow will help you settle the question in your own mind and set you free to live life in all its fullness.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.