In The Word Wednesday, BSF Lesson 6

Last night's lecture brought to surface some things that I have not been dealing with . . . ahem, sins. I love how the Word of God is truly 'sharper than a 2-edged sword' - it cuts into our hearts and pierces us to conviction.
Nancye (and yes, she spells her name with an 'e' at the end) began her lecture with a myriad of verses pointing out when God has interjected to save man.
Genesis 3:8-9, when Adam and Eve tried to hide from God after they had sinned, "But God called out to them, 'where are you'?"
When God caused the flood (and I forgot the specific reference here), "But God remembered Noah".
Genesis 50:20, when Joseph was sold as a slave and was torn from his family by his brothers' cruelty, God caused him to rise up to say to his brothers, "But God intended it for good".
Acts 2, at the Pentacost, Paul was explaining Christ to others, "But God raised His Son from the dead."

Everytime that there is 'bad news', God comes to save man; He interjects.

Back into Romans, we have been looking at how completely depraved man is in his sin. All of the details that we have been studying have set the stage for God's saving grace.
With His provision of grace, we have been saved from the penalty, the power, and the presence of sin.
The Law has been put in place to show us our absolute depravity, and yet, we are not bound to the law. Verses 21-26 of chapter 3 in Romans show us the good news; Nancye said that some see this as the 'heart of the entire Bible' (I'll have to think about that one).
Since we are completely unfit to be in His presence, we are unable to receive Him. But in verse 21, a righteousness from God has been revealed to all who believe.

Nancye pulled out the word 'Now' - describing it as, something has happened that has revealed His righteousness. Back in the Old Testament, it was foreshadowed, but here, in Romans, 'Now' is the culmination of that promise then. 'Now' also applies to our day & age 'now', and for the 'now' to come.

Righteousness - to be right with God, without sin, without guilt; He is the standard for what is good. Jesus revealed what God's righteousness looks like, v. 22 - through faith in Him.
God's righteousness is available to all, but given only to those who believe in Him.

Faith is complete trust, confidence and reliance; does not require proof. The object of our faith is the point, not the 'faith' in and of itself. This was a neat point. I hear so many people say, "oh, my faith got me through it", or other things along those lines. Faith in what? Everyone believes in something!
Saving faith is in something - believing what God has done & will do. This is an active faith, a pursuing faith. It believes that He lives and is coming again, it believes that He died and was raised up and He is triumphant.
Jesus Christ saves us, not our faith. And we rest our faith in Him - in Him it is secure, He will not let His own go.


Falling short - we fail to exhibit that glory for which we were created - we don't bring the glory to God. Yet God's grace is given to us as a proclamation, a declaration. It is free, unmerited and unearned.
God gives His own righteousness as a free gift to unrighteous people through faith in Jesus Christ.
What kind of gift is this though? We ask, what's the catch? But why don't we ever ask ourselves, 'have I received what God has promised me?' - 'am I trusting in God's righteousness alone'?

Justification - God justifies sinnners - justification is a proclamation, not an action. It is not a transformation. God is pronouncing that those who are sinners are not guilty & that they are acquitted. This was a new concept to me. I have always had a hard time understanding justification, and to see it this way was insightful.

Propitiation - we deserve to be punished for our sin, and yet God has used His own Son to take all of our blame, to suffer the scorn of His wrath. God gave His own atoning sacrifice, Jesus Christ, our scapegoat. Christ's crucifixion proved that God is just - Someone had to be punished.
Redemption - to purchase someone out of slavery for the purpose of salvation. The story of Gomer and Hosea was brought up here, and it really paints such a picture of God's grace to His bride. He clothes us in our shame, and woos us back to Him. We are always so unfaithful to Him, and yet He still chases after us.
And Christ's work on our behalf justifies us before a just God.

Amen.