A good question to ask when reading the Bible is what do I learn about God? In this chapter Paul tells us somethings that are true of us and we often focus there. However, he also tells us much about God and I think it is better to focus there.
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood– to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished– 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26 NIV)
The first thing we learn about God from this chapter is that He is faithful. He can be relied on to do what He says He is going to do. He is also always going to be who He says He is. This is important because it means He is predictable. God’s character is unchanging, while his methods changeable. Jesus rarely performs a miracle the same way. However, the result is always the same, a totally healed person. The variation in method often is related to something the person needs to do to participate in the healing. Jesus is faithful in wanting the whole person healed.
God is righteous. He is always right. God is never wrong because He is the standard for what is right. He is the ultimate answer key. We are often tempted to compare ourselves to other people hoping that we get a higher score. The problem is that the only acceptable score is 100 percent and the only person who ever got that score was Jesus, God in the flesh.
What are we going to do? We can pretend God does not exist and He will let us. Some people seem to have a pleasant life ignoring God, but many do not. After this life we get to see the final test score, and anything less than 100 percent means we cannot enter God’s presence. I do not know what eternity without God looks like, but I am certain I do not want to find out.
What if we believe that God exists, but we find it difficult to believe that God is both right and gracious? The temptation is to attempt to do better. If only we can score enough bonus points, we might get a final score of 100%. Unfortunately, if we are honest with ourselves every day when we evaluate how we have done against God’s standard we find that we are losing ground.
Why do we find it so hard to accept the solution that God provides, and that Paul explains so simply? It all comes down to pride. We want to earn our way into God’s favor and prove that we are the only ones who can do it. We want to be better than everyone else. We want to win. In the struggle to win we continually lose. If we continue on this path, we will move further and further away from God having lost sight of our desire to be with Him.
Why do we find it so hard to accept the solution that God provides, and that Paul explains so simply? It all comes down to pride. We want to earn our way into God’s favor and prove that we are the only ones who can do it. We want to be better than everyone else. We want to win. In the struggle to win we continually lose. If we continue on this path, we will move further and further away from God, having lost sight of our desire to be with Him.
The writer of Hebrews tells us where this kind of trust leads us, and I’ll close with this.
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:19-23 NIV)
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