"Gift Giving"

EPISODE 149

Take Hold of God's Grace

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What do you want for your birthday? A new phone? A new pair of shoes? Maybe just a quiet evening at home? Everyone loves receiving gifts from those they care about. So what's the best present you could possibly get?

In Romans 3, Paul unwraps the box on a gift so amazing and powerful, that it saves us from the deadliest disease imaginable!

Our Sins

"... None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one" (Rom. 3:10-12).

We've all sinned! Saying (or thinking) that we haven't sinned is a big mistake on our part (1 John 1:8, 10). That lie you once told a coworker, the lustful thought you had while browsing the internet, or the secret sin that no one ever sees — all leave you separated from the Holy God (Isa. 59:2).

So, let your sin sink in — own and acknowledge them. Only when we realize the extent of our failure, will we understand what we need so desperately.

His Grace

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 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" (Rom. 3:23-25).

We absolutely need God's grace to be saved from our sins. The gift of Christ's blood is something we could never earn or repay. He speaks about it as justifying, redeeming, and as a propitiation — bringing two separate things back together again.

That's what Jesus' blood does for us — it brings us back to a relationship with God, despite our past sins. So what's required of us?

Our Faith

"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. Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith" (Rom. 3:26-27).

How do we access his gracious gift of salvation? Remember our first point, we've all sinned! So we could never boast about our perfect rule-keeping. That's why it's all about faith — trusting in Jesus enough to walk like him, think like him, and respond like him every day.

Grace cost Jesus his life, but what does your faith cost you? Are you willing to give up your old ways of life because Jesus laid down his for yours? And it's not about perfect rule-keeping, but all about being Christ's disciples — learners and students — here on this earth.

Praise God for his incredible mercy! Let's admit our sins, and take hold of his grace by faithfully following him today.