Romans 3:3-4
What if some did not believe and were without faith? Does their lack of faith and their faithlessness nullify and make ineffective and void the faithfulness of God and His fidelity [to His Word]?
By no means! Let God be found true though every human being is false and a liar, as it is written, That You may be justified and shown to be upright in what You say, and prevail when You are judged [by sinful men].
What I love about God is that His faithfulness isn't dependent on anything I'll ever do. He is who He is no matter who I am. He's loving and kind and caring and benevolent and forgiving and strong and gracious even when I'm cantankerous, annoyed, mean, disparaging, disappointing, and very human. The faithfulness of God blows my mind because I know exactly how unreliable I am. Yea, I write the blog most days and I read the Bible everyday but my heart isn't always in it to begin with. Sometimes all I want to do is go to sleep. Or I just want to get up out of bed and not write. Maybe I don't want to feel all my feelings or contemplate higher things.
There are some days I just don't feel like working on this relationship but He's got so much grace with me. He also is so faithful in this relationship. If I show up, He shows up. Even when I don't show up fully, He shows up and brings me into exactly where I need to be. It's not a lack of faith but its a lack of effort. Actually that's a lie. Sometimes I do lack faith. Sometimes those questions I haven't got answers for don't let me be as fully committed as I'd like to be. I want to want to believe God for certain things that aren't easy to believe for. Can I offer that even in my doubt He's still exactly who He says He is? On so many occasions I've found that to be true. And when I doubt Him, He usually plays me and sends me some confirmation like "Girl stop with this foolishness. You know me. I've shown myself to you hundreds of times. But I'll do it again." I know I offer lots of things on here but honestly, I'm offering them to myself. I've got to step outside my own perspective and consider higher things....on good days. Some days I just want to sulk. There's space for that too in my relationship with Him.
Romans 3: 10-11
As it is written, None is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no, not one.
No one understands [no one intelligently discerns or comprehends]; no one seeks out God.
This is who I am. I'm not just. I'm not upright. I'm not truthful. I'm without understanding. But...oh how I enjoy a good but in a conversation about God. He is all these things. And because I am His through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross and my faith in the finished work of the cross, I am made all of these things. Despite my human trappings, I am seen by God through the blood of the Lamb. I've found in the process of seeking Him, that I've also sought myself. I've also found out things about who I am and who I want to be. I want to be like Him. I want people to see me and know I'm His. I'm better able to be a clearer reflection of God because I know better who God is. That's one of the invaluable things I've learned through this process. I know more about Him for myself. Knowing Him for myself is so different from hearing about Him in church or even hearing others talk about Him. I love Him cause I know Him and cause He loves me despite knowing me.
Romans 3:19-20
Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that [the murmurs and excuses of] every mouth may be hushed and all the world may be held accountable to God.
For no person will be justified (made righteous, acquitted, and judged acceptable) in His sight by observing the works prescribed by the Law. For [the real function of] the Law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin [[a]not mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance, faith, and holy character].
As a person living under grace, I'm grateful for the law. Not because I've ever attempted to live under it but because it gives me a very clear example of how very far I am from ever being worthy. I can't keep the law. Have you seen it? Its a lot. Its a lot more than I'll ever even process in my mind. The Law shows me how much I need grace and how much I needed the cross before I was even aware of the fact that I needed it. Here the Bible clearly lays this out. The law was designed to show us how much we needed a Savior. We ain't got this....we need some help. My help cometh from the Lord.
Romans 3:22-28
Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust andconfident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [And it is meant] for all who believe. For there is no distinction,
23 Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory [b]which God bestowsand receives.
24 [All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,
25 Whom God put forward [[c]before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.
26 It was to demonstrate and prove at the present time ([d]in the now season) that He Himself is righteous and that He justifies and accepts as righteous him who has [true] faith in Jesus.
27 Then what becomes of [our] pride and [our] boasting? It is excluded (banished, ruled out entirely). On what principle? [On the principle] of doing good deeds? No, but on the principle of faith.
28 For we hold that a man is justified and made upright by faith independent of anddistinctly apart from good deeds (works of the Law). [The observance of the Law has nothing to do with justification.]
Listen. If there's one thing I've never doubted is the Jesus died for me. I have often struggled to understand why cause I know I'm not all that but I know He did it for me and He did it for you too. I've been sure of this for as long as I remember. I know I went and got saved at some point but I've known He died for little ol' me forever. I love how God lumps us all together basically saying "Y'all have fallen short so I made a way." I'm awestruck by that. Like you knew we couldn't do it so you were like I'll make a way? Like what? Where? Why? How? On what day do we tell our students that I knew you couldn't do this assignment so I made a way for you to get an A in chemistry anyhow? On no day that's when. Please drive to your nearest department of Chemistry and ask them about such a situation. It doesn't exist. It is only God. Its only God that says "Though you are't worthy I will make a way for you to become so that requires nothing of you and everything of me." What other relationship works that way? None. Not one.
Then we freely get to be justified and make right with Him...just because He wants us. Because He wants this relationship....with me. Like....I'm back to the part where I know me. I know me. Me isn't that awesome....not relationship with God on my account awesome. He wants me. That's justification enough for this relationship. He's after my heart. He's jealous for me. And His making a way? Cost Him. It cost Him dearly. And He considered me worth it. Worth. It.
Mind.
Blown.
His demonstration of supernatural and unfathomable love was to depart from His Son as His Son bore the sins of the whole world. My sins put Him on the cross and His love for me kept Him up there on my behalf. Its so crazy to think I'm righteous because I'm covered by His blood. Freely shed for me. Covered. Like again...I know me. But when I let the Spirit lead and I actually surrender to that I've seen glimpses of righteousness in myself. What I'm often humbled by is the fact that apparently other people see it in me. Or at least they see something that makes them open up to me in ways that our casual relationship can't actually support. On a side note, I always know that's a God moment. When someone who doesn't really have a real relationship with me lays something heavy on me, I know its one of those divine appointments. I've been told even that they knew somehow that they could tell me and that I would have something useful to add and that I did. I'm just like "That was Jesus but ok."
The other thing about knowing God did it is that there is no space to boast in. Its never me. Its never ever me. If I've said anything of substance, it was the inspiration of the Spirit or the Word. I love that the scripture clearly states here that its is Faith ALONE that justifies and makes us upright because that can get confusing. Often times people think living a good and moral life will get you there. It won't. The only thing that gets you an eternity with Him is believing and belonging to Him.
Romans 3:31
Do we then by [this] faith make the Law of no effect, overthrow it or make it a dead letter? Certainly not! On the contrary, we confirm and establish and uphold the Law.
What I so appreciate is that Jesus didn't do away with the law but that He fulfilled it. The law is still something to strive towards but there's grace. Abundant everlasting grace. You know how you can look out in Nebraska and see forever... well maybe you don't but you can. You can literally see what feels like forever. That is what comes to mind when I think about grace. Grace is as far as the eye can see and beyond. Yes....I'm constantly trying to be like Him but I'm constantly failing too. His mercy endures. He's so tender with me in my failing. He's so gracious to me and benevolent. He's like "Okay....lets try again tomorrow." I love that about Him. I love that He always wants to try again with me. That I'm never pushed Him to His limit. There's always more for me with Him. Lead me, Lord. Lead me.
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