Timeless Truths About Sin And God’s Righteousness You Need Now
People have had questions about their sin and God’s righteousness since sin prompted the Garden eviction.
Through the Old Covenant Law, God gave His chosen people a system of sacrifices and rules to follow, offering to forgive, protect, and bless them if they obeyed.
Although many tried, Scripture tells us about the countless ways they failed and gave in to sin and all forms of idolatry.
So, God sent Jesus to be the ultimate offering, giving people a New Covenant that promises forgiveness of sins and restored fellowship through repentance and faith.
Today’s verses show us how Paul addressed the questions people were asking about the Jewish people, their traditions, God’s Law, and His promises. Questions they asked about sin and God’s righteousness…
Question #1
People asked…
“What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in [the Covenant of] circumcision?”
Romans 3:1 (NIV)
Paul answered…
“There are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.”
Romans 3:2
♥ God loved His chosen people so much that He not only gave them His commands, but He also gave them His changeless promises and prophecies offering them hope for the future.
Question #2
People wanted to know…
If Jews are unfaithful and fail to follow God’s Covenant, does that mean God will be unfaithful in response? (Romans 3:3)
Paul replied…
“Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true.”
Romans 3:4a
♥ God is righteous and He is changeless. He is loving, just, and merciful. Even when we fail, He does not.
Question #3
Several said…
““But our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for Him to punish us?”
Romans 3:5
Paul responded…
“Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would He be qualified to judge the world?”
Romans 3:6
♥ Although we may want to make obedience optional, because of God’s righteousness, He cannot. He is loving and forgiving, but He cannot excuse sin.
Questions #4
Others may still argue…
“How can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights His truthfulness and brings Him more glory?” And “The more we sin, the better it is!”
Romans 3:7_8a
Paul said…
“Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.”
Romans 3:8b
♥ Since the first sin in the Garden, sinners have wanted reasons to justify their desire to be selfish, prideful, and unloving … reasons to justify their behavior.
So…
What is sin?
Sin is anything we say, do, or think that goes against God’s will. It is choosing to do what is wrong and also failing to do what is right.
James wrote…
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
James 4:17
Then…
What is God’s righteousness?
“God’s perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word.” ~GotQuestions.com
Isaiah wrote…
The holiness of God will be displayed by His righteousness.
Isaiah 5:16b
And He is righteous in all He does.
The truth found in today’s verses is that God is righteous and we’re not. We can make all the excuses we want, but they will not change the truth that we are sinners who deserve to be punished by the righteous God of all creation.
Prompting Paul to conclude with these words…
Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
Romans 3:19–20
This was a heavy dose of the timeless truths of God’s law. I hope you’ll join us next time when we will celebrate the truth about Jesus, God’s love, and the New Covenant.
Let’s pray…
A Prayer to Live Humbly Before
God’s Righteousness
Father God, You are righteous in everything You do. You created a perfect world, and we foolishly gave in to sin. You provided Your Laws to protect us, and we continued to sin against You.
But because You are righteous, loving, and good in everything You do, You sent Your Son, Jesus, to offer us a restored relationship with You. However, we still want to behave foolishly and selfishly, making excuses to justify our sinful thoughts, words, and actions.
Thank you for Your unfailing, unchanging love. Your Word shows us that the only way to live well is by loving You and loving people unselfishly. Loving as You command is the only way for us to experience true peace and joy in our daily interactions.
It‘s not easy for us to give up our selfishness and pride. We make excuses, believing that our happiness is more important than our relationships, and our desires more important than kindness and care. Please forgive us and give us humble, loving hearts like our Savior.
Please, Lord, give me a hunger for Your Truth and a desire to obey You. Please prompt me to faithful prayer. You are the Lord of my life. I worship You. Amen.
John Piper wrote the following about God’s righteousness…
“The wisdom of God devised a way for the love of God to deliver sinners from the wrath of God while not compromising the righteousness of God.”
I love that!
We are not righteous, and no matter how many excuses we try to make for our sinfulness, they will never make us right before God. But God is gracious and merciful. His love lasts forever, and His New Covenant in Jesus changed everything.
Please subscribe and join us next time when we celebrate the blessing of Jesus’ imputed righteousness and our restored relationship with Father God.
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Every last one of us has sinned and will do so again when left to our own devices. I’m so thankful for a righteous God who saw that we could never be saved by the Law, but only by HIs Son, Jesus. May we all give thanks and glory to Him! Blessings, Deb!
Me too, Martha! We have so many reasons to be thankful and the greatest reason of all is our Savior, Jesus. Blessings to you!
How grateful I am to God who wanted relationship with me, even though a sinner, and others He loves too, that He devised a plan long before time to bring us to HIM. Mosiac Law is impossible to keep. Thankfully we have Jesus, Our Redeemer who willingly went to the cross and died a horrible and shameful death on our behalf. Grateful is not a large enough word to cover how I feel.
Thank you for a wonderful post, as usual.
Hugs and Blessings wished for a dear, sweet friend.
I tried so hard to be good and failed terribly. His saving grace changed my life and filled me with hope. I am forever grateful. Grateful for you too, Sue! Blessings!