We are living in dark days. There is no doubt about it. The best thing we can do is to face the music, as the saying goes, and makes some necessary changes. Today’s study is the second part of Romans 3. Paul has been teaching us about the darkness that is prevailing in our world. It is sin. It isn’t a popular topic but it is necessary to understand the dark side so we can fully embrace the good side. The good side is the love that God has for us. He gives us a way of escape which is through His Son.
You can go back through my previous blogs and study who Christ is in the book of John.
While the first part of today’s study may seem gloomy, persevere through it for we will learn how we have a way of escape! We are not stuck in the doom and gloom of sin. Go ahead and read Romans 3:9-20. We are going to learn how we are all sinful. No one is exempt because we are descendants of Adam and Eve. They chose to disobey God which resulted in sin entering the world. It will remain this way until Jesus comes back to judge the world.
Paul begins by saying how we all are under the power of sin. Study verses 10-18 and look at how Paul describes sinful man living in the world.
ASK YOURSELF: How do you see these traits in our society?
Notice how someone living in the world is not walking with God. They have chosen to go AWOL and hide; hiding behind numerous vices that give them pleasure or security. But, God says we are made to follow Jesus. We learned this truth from studying Romans 2:14-15 last week. We are made for a different world. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “God has planted eternity in the human heart.”
ASK YOURSELF: How do I see myself in these verses?
We continue reading that the law was given to show that “the entire world is guilty before God. No one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.”
Now, we are going to see how God gives us an escape hatch to go through to separate ourselves from sin. Here is where God demonstrates just how deep and wide His love is for man. Go ahead and read the second part of Bible study, Romans 3:21-31. God does something amazing so we are not stuck in this hopeless, dark world. Stop and ponder verses 21-22.
ASK YOURSELF: Am I willing to place my faith in Jesus Christ and follow Him from now on? If you do, what happens to you?
Paul tells us in no uncertain terms, who we are in the world. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” No one is exempt from this reality. We all need Jesus. He is the way home to heaven. There is no other way to get to God. Acts 4:12 says, “There is salvation in no one else. God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
Notice who God is in verses 24-26. He has undeserved kindness for us. He declares us righteous and He has freed us from the penalty of sin which is death.
“For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin.”
When Adam and Eve sinned, God had to usher them out into the cold, dark world. But by Jesus shedding His blood for you and me, we are made right with God. He reopens the door so we can have intimate fellowship with Him again.
ASK YOURSELF: According to verse 25, what do you have to do to be made right with God?
Look at what Paul says in verses 25-26, “God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for He was looking ahead and including them in what He would do in this present time.” He was bringing forth His plan of salvation which was through His one and only Son.
ASK YOURSELF: Look at verses 27-28, can you take credit for God saving you? How are we made right with God?
“There is one God and He makes people right with Himself only by faith.” This, my friends, is for every person on Earth. God’s love and redemption is for every person from every race and ethnicity.
For added insight, go over to 1 Corinthians and read 1:24-31, and see what you can glean from those verses that will encourage your faith.
I hope you are encouraged. God gave us an escape hatch so we can be set free from the ways of this world. We each have been given the choice to follow the world or God. One leads to death and the other to eternal life. Read 1 John 2:15-17 and ask God to help you in deepening your faith in Him. He is waiting with open arms!
Carol J German 