August 11th | Romans 3

“During the Spanish-American War, Clara Barton was overseeing the work of the Red Cross in Cuba. One day, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt came to her, wanted to buy food for his sick and wounded Rough Riders. But she refused to sell him any. Roosevelt was perplexed. His men needed the help, and he was prepared to pay out of his own funds. When he asked someone why he could not buy the supplies, he was told, ‘Colonel, just ask for it!’ A smile broke over Roosevelt's face. Now he understood--the provisions were not for sale. All he had to do was simply ask, and they would be given freely” (Source, Our Daily Bread, October 11, 1992). 

Isn’t this how we approach God? “I can do enough good for you to love me!” We attend church, we get our life “on track.” We stop cussing, smoking, and drinking and smile up to God as if to say, “Aren’t you happy now?” But in reality, God isn’t happy with those things. Isaiah 64:8 says, “and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” All the good stuff that we think earn us credit before God are just rags. Salvation by earning results in praise to the one who earned it. 

Several years ago, I ran a half-marathon. It was a struggle, but I pushed through the pain and finished the race. For my devotion, what did I receive? A medal! It was for me because I ran the race. No one else could lay claim to it because they didn’t earn it. When we come to God with our works in hand, asking for salvation, we are subtly saying, “You did a lot for me, God, but didn’t I do pretty good too?” This was the issue with the Roman Christians trying to keep the law. Paul was telling them that even in their law-keeping, they were still not righteous. 

Rom 3:10, “None is righteous, no, not one;” 

If we cannot be saved through our efforts, then how can we be saved? This was the question you can hear the Roman Christians asking, and Paul is happy to give them an answer!

Rom 3:23-25, “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” 

We have all sinned, but we are justified by the work of Jesus, not our own works. The work of Jesus is simply to be received by faith. Faith is not a work that we earn, but it is simply like Roosevelt asking for supplies; it was received as a gift! What happens when we come to God with this attitude of humility, dependence, and faith? God is glorified, and the focus shifts from our works to His!

Rom 3:27-28, “ 27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”

Today, stop trying to be good enough. You can’t do it. Stop trying to earn God’s love and affection. You can’t earn it because it has already been given to you on the cross. Just receive it in belief and faith!