Willetton Christian Church Willetton Christian Church

Today, we will continue our reflection on the same passage of Romans 3:21-31. In this passage, we see that Christ is all the more worthy to boast about than ourselves. Salvation is of the Lord alone. In Paul’s description of the great Gospel message of Christ, it is God who initiates, executes, and applies salvation to us. We are merely recipients of this amazing grace.

We receive this grace of God’s righteousness by faith alone in Christ alone. Faith in Christ is basically trusting in Christ and what he has done for us. Therefore, it is not about the intensity of our faith, but rather the object of our faith – who we put our faith in – Christ himself.

Because it is entirely the work of God, accomplished by Christ on the cross, and applied to us by the Holy Spirit, we cannot boast in ourselves. There is nothing in our salvation that can be credited to us. To God be all glory. Therefore, we boast in God alone.

After two chapters of bleak and convicting passage on sin, Paul speaks the words of life in Romans 3:21-26 to us. In that passage, Paul declares the wonderful Gospel message to us – what God has done for us through Jesus Christ’s work on the cross. That work – the atonement – is like a multi-faceted diamond where we can inspect the beauty of the diamond from different angles. Each angle provides us with another glimpse into the intricate structure of the cut of the diamond, and thus makes us appreciate it even more each time.
In our passage, Paul uses three different images to declare the wonders of the Gospel to us. In Romans 3:21-26, Paul declares that:

1. God has declared us not guilty before him as a judge.
2. God has rescued us from slavery through payment by the blood of Christ.
3. God has placated his own wrath towards us through the sacrifice of Christ.

The glories of the atonement is something we as God’s people can reflect, embrace, and meditate on for all eternity.

What is wrong with our world? Many have answered this, but at the heart of the issue according to God is the godlessness and wickedness of people. In other words, our sin. Because we did not glorify nor worship God, God gives us over to our sins.

He gives us over to our sinful sexual passions. We pervert our sexual desires and activities, using our bodies in a way that God has not designed for. Because of that, we all suffer the consequences that that brings.

He gives us over to our depraved minds, filled with all kinds of evil and vice. These are practices that would destroy any kind of flourishing community. We have “no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.”

In the Gospel, we have a God who understands, who is faithful, who is love, and who is merciful – the complete opposite to us. The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against our world today, but there is a greater revelation – the revelation of the righteousness of God found in the Gospel.

This morning, we get a glimpse into Paul’s love for the people of God and his unashamed passion for the Gospel. Even though he has never met them before, he prays for the Romans and longs to visit them. He would love to impart spiritual gifts to them to strengthen them in their faith. That is because he has been called to bring the Gospel to all mankind, particularly to the Gentiles.

He does all this because the righteousness of God has been revealed in the Gospel, which is received by faith alone. It is the same Gospel that we believe today. It is the same Gospel that has transformed us, just like it did to Paul 2000 years ago. Therefore, we should seek to pray like Paul, strengthen others like Paul, and proclaim the Gospel like Paul.

The word "Gospel" means momentous, life-altering news. Right from the start, we read that Paul was an apostle that is set apart for this Gospel of God - momentous, life-altering news from God. This Gospel has been promised by God in the Old Testament through the many prophets that he has sent. This means that it is not Plan B for God, but rather that it has been in God's mind since the beginning. This Gospel is also about a real historical person and event that happened 2000 years ago - God the Son becoming the man Jesus, who lived a sinless life so that he could die for his people and redeem them. Through his resurrection, the Gospel is that Jesus is now crowned as Lord over all of creation. This news does not only have earthly significance, but it was eternal significance for all of creation.
As we embark on this new journey through Romans, what is your response to this call of the Gospel?

Why am I here... why do I exist? What is the purpose of my life? These are questions that people have asked for centuries. Those who have discovered the answer find that in a purposeful life, their life is found to have 'meaning' Many people all over the world ponder these questions. It is good for us to know there are very clear answers... our lives are not meant to be aimless, without purpose or direction. In this service we explore these questions and the answers God in His Word provides.