Written ~ 10-23-2023
Romans 3:21-26
21 “But now God has shown us a way to be made right with Him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.
22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
24 Yet God, in His Grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins.
25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,
26 for He was looking ahead and including them in what He would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for He Himself is fair and just, and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus.”
These verses have a common theme… That theme: “How to be right with God”
- God has shown us a way to be right with Him
- We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ
- We all fall short of God’s glorious standard
- God, in His Grace, freely makes us right in His sight
- God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin
- God makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus
Verse 3:23,
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
In this Scripture it is very clear that not one of us meets the high standard of Glory that God expects from His people. Our good deeds, our cheerful demeaner, our seemingly perfect lives only cover up the sin that shrouds the glory of God from shining in our lives. But in verse 3:20 it says, …”God has made a way…” Deep down within each of us there is a yearning to be right with God. Because of our sinful nature though, it is possible to drown out that yearning by living for ourselves and pursuing the world’s standards. Some hearts may never allow that yearning to come to the surface, where God can strengthen that desire to become right with Him. And the only way to become right with God is through our faith and belief in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son.
Verse 3:22,
22 “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.”
God is making it clear that there is no distinction to who can believe, “…no matter who you are…” So if you think you are too sinful to be made right with God, well… all of us have sinned, so all of us can be made right “…by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes…” And what are we to have faith in and believe? “…people are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood…”
What if you don’t think you need the Lord? Well, if you consider you’ll be ok even if you don’t put your faith in Christ, you’ll not only truly miss out on a glorious change in your life, but the most important thing is… When you are not right with God you will not have the Salvation Christ offers to be free from sin and death. In other words, not being right with God means an eternity without Him, and a judgment which leads to an eternity in Hell. All of us are free to make this choice and it is God’s desire that everyone choose His Son and live eternally with Him in Heaven. It also says in 1 Timothy 2:3-6,
3 “This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.
5 For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.
6 He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone.
This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.”
Dear Lord, I pray for those who have not yet realized their need for You in their lives. My prayer today and every day is that You would soften their hearts, to allow the yearning of their hearts to be open to the knowledge of who Jesus is and what He has done for them. My prayer is for Salvation, a complete cleansing of sin and to gain the hope of eternal life. Thank You Father for opening my heart all those years ago and accepting me as Your child when I came to believe in Your Son Jesus Christ. My heart cries out to You now for those who don’t know You personally. Nudge their hearts, softened their rebellion. Have them seek Your presence and find You. With the help of the Holy Spirit have them make the decision to be made right with You. I come to You Lord with praise and honor, in Your Name, Jesus …
~AMEN~
Prayer of Salvation
Dear Jesus, You know my heart, all the things I have done and said. Please forgive me for my unbelief. Please forgive me for all of my sins. I believe You are the Son of God. I believe You came to earth to die on the cross for my sins. I believe You rose from the dead to give me freedom from sin and death. By faith through believing in Who You Are, I accept You as my Lord and Savior. Come into my life, cleanse this heart of mine, white as snow. Help me not to doubt any longer and breathe life into me, fill me with Your light. Thank You Jesus! Amen.
If you solemnly prayed this prayer, tell at least one person, so they can share in your joy!! I rejoice with you! All the angels in Heaven rejoice with you! And just as Jesus said, “Peace be with you.”
It is very important to me that those who might be reading these journal pages of mine and don’t yet know the Lord Jesus Christ, that you make that decision. Today. Your heart and mind may not understand everything you have been reading, but if you open your heart to the truth of who Jesus is, you will be saved from sin and death. By the Power of the Holy Spirit you will be amazed at how quickly after giving your heart to the Lord your eyes and ears will be opened to the truth.