Paid in full

A few years ago radio stations began promoting the idea of paying it forward, meaning paying for the person that is ahead or behind you in the drive up window at a restaurant or expresso line.

If you have ever been the recipient of that happening you almost want to chase after that person to thank them for being so generous.

If you have ever done that for someone else, it is fun to do something for someone that can’t thank you or repay the favor.

The story of the snow blower in Anchorage

Today I want to talk about this idea of someone else paying for something that you could never afford to purchase on our own, the gift of salvation

Let’s pray.

2 weeks ago Pastor Steve began to speak to us from and the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

Today I would like to continue in this conversation by looking at verses 25-26 but start by reading the whole text, starting with Romans 3:21-26

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 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. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

His grace as a gift

If you have ever been the recipient of that happening you almost want to chase after that person to thank them for being so generous.

I love to watch people that have the gift of giving, the time, energy, and thoughtfulness that goes into purchasing that perfect gift for someone else.

Then there is the rest of us who wait till valentines day to get a card when the selection is smaller.

God is the ultimate gift giver as He gave us His grace as a gift

If you have ever done that for someone else, it is fun to do something for someone that can’t thank you or repay the favor.

Whenever I think of the idea of grace I always think of the song; Grace greater than our sin

The story of the snow blower in Anchorage

Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Today I want to talk about this idea of someone else paying for something that you could never afford to purchase on our own, salvation

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, Freely bestowed on all who believe! You that are longing to see His face, Will you this moment His grace receive?

When you think of God’s grace as a gift, do you ever think about what it cost Him to make that grace possible?

Let’s pray.

In verse 25 Paul uses the word propitiation.

2 weeks ago Pastor Steve began to speak to us from and the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

Romans 3:24-25

Romans 3:24-25

Romans 3:24–25 ESV

and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Today I would like to continue in this conversation by looking at verses 25-26 but start by reading the whole text, starting with

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.

for me, just saying the word propitiation is hard enough but to understand what it means, I went to the pocket dictionary that Pastor Steve refers to and it simply means; An offering that turns away the wrath of God directed against sin. According to the NT, God has provided the offering that removes the divine wrath, for in love the Father sent the Son to be the propitiation [or atoning sacrifice] for human sin.

The Bible teaches us in that under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

In the OT a person would have to bring their own sacrifice as an offering for sin.

However in today’s text it clearly teaches that God Himself provided the sacrifice.

I love how the Wesley commentary puts it.

This new righteousness must be understood as an act originated by God, motivated by His grace and accomplished by His power.Salvation under the Law centers on the obedience of humans; Salvation under the Gospel centers upon the grace of God.

This kind of makes my illustration of paying for someones coffee or breakfast pretty insignificant doesn’t it?

Verse 26 goes on to teach us that it is His righteousness that qualifies Him to be both just and justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

just, because sin must be paid for, but justifier because there isn’t anything we can do to pay for the depth of our sin, so He paid the price for us.

Do you ever ask yourself why would He do this for me?

The short answer is because God created human beings to be in a love relationship with Him!

Remember Adam and Eve walking with God in the cool of the day?

God has not changed, in fact He paid the price so that this relationship would still be available today!

Another song illustrates this idea for me. In the garden

Verse #2 He speaks, and the sound of His voice, Is so sweet the birds hush their singing, And the melody that He gave to me, Within my heart is ringing. And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own, And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.

For me this usually happens as God drops a verse, a story, or a song into my mind as to how He wants me to respond to a situation or encourage someone that needs it.

So how do we respond to such an amazing invitation?

From the very first time I read these verses in preparation for today, the idea that we can no longer live both a secular and sacred life keeps coming to my mind.

So what does this look like?

For each one of us it might be a little different depending on where we are at in our walk with Jesus.

But for starters, what if we started looking at the sin in our life a bit differently?

What if we looked at our disobedience [such as attitudes actions and words] not so much as breaking God’s rules but rather as a slap at His very character of righteousness and love?

In his book Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby writes a chapter on how God speaks through the church using

Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

He goes on to say, Many Christians today feel their walk with God is private and independent. They see no need for joining a church or making themselves accountable to other believers.

However the Bible teaches that our walk with God is personal, but it is not private. Sin make people independent. Salvation makes us interdependent on each other.

The chapter closes by asking this question; How is God presently using you to minister to other members of your church today? Are you actively seeking His will in this regard?

In addition, TPT reminds us;

For God, the Faithful One, is not unfair. How can He forget the beautiful work you have done for Him? He remembers the love you demonstrate as you continually serve His beloved ones for the glory of His Name.

If our salvation has truly been paid for, the love that we show Him will be manifested in the way we love others.

Or we can choose to