A Tribute to Romans 3

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I always tell people who are beginning to read the Bible to read the book of Romans first (God help them if they open up Leviticus first).  I love the book of Romans because it’s a straight forward answer to all our philosophical questions in life such as: who are we? And who is God?  Well, here we go, simply put:  1. We are scums who sinned against our Creator (Romans 1-2) and 2.  God is the most loving Being in the universe that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins (Romans 3 onwards).

This reflection is simply a tribute to enshrine what I consider as one of the greatest chapter in the Bible: Romans 3.  I love Romans 3 because it’s the transition of Paul’s bad news (all of us are sinners) to the good news (Jesus saves us all).  The transition occurs at Romans 3:21 and the whole beauty of the chapter runs to the end.  The New Living Translation says it all too clearly that I dare not add anything to it anymore.  No words have been changed on the verses below. In fact, they are a cut and paste from Biblegateway.com.

While reading, take note of the words on bold.  Read it again and again; I guarantee you that you’ll be blessed by it.

Romans 3:21-28

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, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins25 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 declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

Jesus loves you, no matter who you are, He already died for you.  What is left is for you to believe that He actually did it.  Don’t let people who haven’t read the Bible tell you what’s in it.  Read it for yourself and let God speak to you about His Love who is His Son, Jesus Christ.

Through Jesus, you are loved, you are forgiven and you are righteous to The Father, forever.  This truth is from the very words of God.  Let no other spirit take this truth away from you, in Jesus’ name.

 

Links:

Romans 3:21-28 @ Biblegateway.com: (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%203:21-28&version=NLT)

 

* Image taken from Google Images