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Introduction
Reading Rom 3:20-26
What do we have to do to go to heaven?
If we asked this question to every single person in the UK, every boy and girl, every man and woman, I could almost guarantee that the number one response would be; “by being a good person.”
“By being honest.”
“By treating others as you want to be treated.”
Maybe there are some here this afternoon that would give a similar answer.
In our reading in the Word of God we see that this answer is completely wrong.
In verses 20-22 The Apostle Paul basically says that no one is justified, no one is made right with God, by the works of the law, by being a good person.
But instead it is by faith in Jesus Christ.
In a sentence Paul says under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; not by works, but by faith.
Its not by what we can do but by faith in what Christ has already done.
Paul makes this statement and then in verses 23-25 he gives two reasons why this is true.
I.
All have sinned v.23
II.
Justifcation is a free gift from God v.24-25
Paul says the only way to be made right with God is not by works but by faith in Jesus Christ and it is crucial for each of us to grasp this truth because the difference is literally between heaven and hell.
If faith in Christ is the only way to be made right with God we need to be convinced of this so that we do not trust in our own works but in the finished work of Christ.
This is what Paul sets about to do in these verses.
Convince people it is by faith in Jesus Christ and not by trying to be a good person.
The first reason given by Paul is ‘All have sinned’
I.
All have sinned v.23
Paul says that people are accepted by God not by good works but by believing in Christ.
Then he says “ For there is no difference.
V.23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
In this verse to put it simply Paul is saying its not by being good because no one is good enough.
For all have sinned.
This verse is a summary statement of the point Paul has been making in the previous chapters.
From 1:17-3:20 Paul has been showing the church at Rome that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin and guilty before God.
There are a few things in verse 23 that we must emphasise and explain.
Firstly I want us to notice that little word “ALL”
The word of God says “for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
This means that what Paul is saying is universal.
It covers every single person who has ever lived, except the Lord Jesus Christ who alone committed no sin neither was deceit found in his mouth as it says in 1 Peter.
This means to put it simply and personally every person in this room is included in this verse and to put it more personal still, it means you are included in this verse.
For all have sinned.
So this verse is speaking about everyone but what does the word of God mean when it says we have sinned.
The word sin means to miss the mark.
My brother recently got married and we had a day out to celebrate.
During the day we did axe throwing.
There is a wooden target with a bulls eye on it and you have to stand behind the line and throw the axes at the target and try to get as close to the bulls eye as possible.
Lets just say I missed the bulls eye more than I hit it.
I missed the mark.
The word sin means to miss the mark that God has set.
God has given us his law, he has written his law on our hearts, that is why we have a conscience, that is why we know right from wrong.
But despite us knowing God’s standard we constantly fall short of it by breaking God’s commands.
God has said you shall not lie and so when you tell a lie you are breaking God’s command, falling short of God’s standard, missing the mark, you are committing sin.
This verse says everyone has done this in one way or another.
Now this is serious.
The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death.
God is a good God and a holy God and because of this God must punish sin, and he must punish it severely.
The Lord Jesus himself taught us that the punishment for sin is hell.
In the final part of v.23 Paul explains why sin is so serious but before we look at it I want to ask you; are your sins forgiven?
Has your sin been paid for by Christ on the cross?
Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Saviour? or do you think you are a good person and do not need Jesus Christ?
A good person is someone who has never ever committed a single sin.
Why is sin so serious?
well there are many reasons but one of them is given by Paul at the end of verse 23.
v.23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Sin is serious because when you sin you fall short of the glory of God.
What does it mean to fall short of the glory of God?
When God created the first man and woman he created them in his image.
Human beings are made in the image of God, and because of this we were made to reflect God’s glory in some way to the rest of creation.
We were to reflect the perfections of God.
But when we sin we fail to do so, we fall short of God’s glory, we fail to represent the God who made us in his image.
For all of this we need God’s forgiveness and this is not to be found in trying to be good because we are not good.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
The only place where we can find mercy and forgiveness is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Only by believing in Christ can we be forgiven for our sin and made right with God.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
So the first reason given by Paul why it is not by works but by faith in Christ is because all have sinned.
The second reason he gives is that justification, being made righteous before God, is a free gift from God.
Justification- a free gift from God
II.
Justification- a free gift from God.
Look with me at verse 24 it begins;
“being justified freely by his grace...”
Because we have sinned we need to be justified by God.
The word of God says that people are justified freely by God’s grace.
The word justified means to be declared righteous.
If you stand before a judge and you are innocent for the crime you are accused of, when this comes to light and the judge lets you go, then you are justified, you are declared innocent, you are declared righteous.
This is our greatest need.
We are not righteous as we have just learned in v.23 so we need to be declared righteous.
We need to be justified, we need justification.
Paul says this is not possible by doing good works.
Rather the complete opposite is true.
Listen again to what the word of God says; “being justified freely by his grace.”
being declared righteous is a free gift from God.
The verse says freely by his grace.
The word grace means unmerited favour, or undeserved kindness.
Of course grace means that it isn’t by works, otherwise grace wouldn’t be grace.
How can God justify people freely by his grace?
How is that fair?
That doesn’t sound like a good justice system.
Well Paul continues “being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith.”
God justifies freely by his grace because he sent Jesus Christ to redeem people from their sin by shedding his blood on the cross.
When Christ shed his blood he was a propitiation.
In a sentence God can freely justify sinners because of what Jesus Christ accomplished by his death and resurrection.
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