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?But now righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished?he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.? (Romans 3:21-26) Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. In other words, if you mess up, you die. Many people don?t like that. ?How could a loving God do that?? The part we often forget is that while God is 100% love, He is also 100% just. When we mess up (sin), we put God in between a rock and a hard place. While he loves us and doesn?t want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9), he also has set a price for rebellion. God told Adam and Eve ?You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.? (Genesis 2:16-17) The rules (or laws) are for our protection, because God loves us and doesn?t want us to get hurt. When we go against God, we are rebelling against him. God set the rules and he set the punishment–death. So what is God to do? The rule and the punishment should have been enough. Why do we choose to ignore it? There are speed limit signs posted along roadways. If we choose to ignore them and go as fast as we want, there is a price to pay. We all know that and yet we choose to ignore it. And, when we get caught, is it the police officer?s fault? No, we should have known better. So, the price has to be paid. Let?s go back to basic training. ?Private Cheek, you have messed up again. You owe me 50 push-ups and you will have to clean the latrine for 3 days.? Now I?ve done it. I have a hard time doing 20 push-ups, and 3 days in the latrine! But, suppose the Sergeant said ?Private Cheek, you deserve this punishment and there is no way it can?t be carried out. But, instead of you being punished, we are going to punish another. And, we are going to punish another soldier who hasn?t broken any of the rules. In fact, this soldier has been decorated for bravery in combat and has been promoted above his peers. He has volunteered to take your place.? I can?t believe it. ?But Sergeant,? I reply. ?Who would do that for me? Where would you find someone willing to take my punishment when he doesn?t deserve it?? The Sergeant lowers his eyes and says, ?It?s me. I?m going to take your punishment.? Of course, that would never happen. But that is what Jesus did when he willingly went to the cross. In fact, ?God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.? (2 Corinthians 5:21) This wasn?t one of those ?just in case? things or an afterthought by God. He decided to do this for us before he even created us. ?For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.? (1 Peter 1:18-21, emphasis mine) Why would God offer grace before we need it? Because he knew we would need it and he loves us that much. Paul says there are no excuses for any of us. We all know better, but we all ignore God and live for ourselves. When we do, we rebel against God; and that is sin. ?There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.? That?s All, with a capital A. But here is what our merciful and loving God did for us. ?This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.? (1 John 4:9-10) Jesus is our ?atonement? or ?propitiation? (NASB). The Greek word, used here, is the same word used in Hebrews 9:5 when it talks about the ?mercy seat? (also called the ?seat of atonement?) on the ark of the covenant. ?This Greek word (hilasterion) came to denote not only the mercy-seat or lid of the ark, but also propitiation or reconciliation by blood.? (1) Under the old covenant, the high priest would take the blood of the sacrifice into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle it on the mercy-seat to atone for the sins of the people. ?The cover or lid of the ark is termed in the LXX. hilasterion, that which covered or shut out the claims and demands of the law against the sins of God’s people, whereby he became ?propitious? to them.? (2) Jesus became the ?mercy seat? and the blood of atonement. ?Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.? (Hebrews 10:11-14) God, through Jesus, did for us what we could not do for ourselves. This is grace. There is no other way to approach God. Max Lucado writes; ?Every other approach to God is a bartering system; if I do this, then God will do that. I?m either saved by works (what I do), emotions (what I experience), or knowledge (what I know).?(3) The Scripture clearly says that it is by God?s grace we are saved. ?But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions?it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith?and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God? not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.? (Ephesians 2:4-10)
Father, we are undeserving of your marvelous grace. We deserve to die but you have given us life in Jesus. We can never say thank you enough and we can never repay the debt we owe. May we simply live to glorify you. Amen Keep the Faith 1. Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary
2. Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary
3. In the Grip of Grace, Word Publishing, Max Lucado
Original content at: http://becauseofyeshua.org/?p=41.
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