Friday, January 12, 2024

January 12th - The Roman Road of Salvation

"Yet now, apart from law, a righteousness of God is manifest (being attested by the law and the prophets), yet a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith, for all, and on all who are believing, for there is no distinction, for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God." (Romans 3:21-23)

The word "sinned" means to miss the target.  All people miss - Romans, Democrats, Republicans, Jews, Christians, Muslims and everybody else. 

But Christ Jesus arrived to justify and deliver sinners gratuitously (free of charge).

Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus (Whom God purposed for a Propitiatory shelter, through faith in His blood, for a display of His righteousness because of the passing over of the penalties of sins which occurred before in the forbearance of God), toward the display of His righteousness in the current era, for Him to be just and a justifier of the one who is of the faith of Jesus. (Romans 3:24-27)

Humanity is either justified gratuitously in His grace or not at all. Again, the word "gratuitously" means free of charge.  Nobody gets to brag about earning justification - it is free.

Where, then, is boasting? It is debarred! Through what law? Of works? No! But through faith's law. For we are reckoning a man to be justified by faith apart from works of law. Or is He the god of the Jews only? Is He not of the nations also? Yes, of the nations also, if so be that God is One, Who will be justifying the Circumcision out of faith and the Uncircumcision through faith.” (Romans 3:21-30)

Being freed from Sin as a gracious gift of God enslaves us to God - and that is OK by me.

"...now, being freed from Sin, yet enslaved to God, you have your fruit for holiness. Now the consummation is life eonian. For the ration of Sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is life eonian, in Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Romans 6:20-23)


However, people need to be told about this gracious gift in order to have faith in it.

"Near you is the declaration, in your mouth and in your heart -- that is, the declaration of faith which we are heralding that, if ever you should be avowing with your mouth the declaration that Jesus is Lord, and should be believing in your heart that God rouses Him from among the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart it is believed for justification, yet with the mouth it is avowed for salvation."  (Romans 10:8-10)

Jesus is the Lord of humanity, and everyone who invokes the name of the Lord shall be saved when they hear and believe.

"For the scripture is saying: Everyone who is believing on Him shall not be disgraced. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same One is Lord of all, being rich for all who are invoking Him. For everyone, whoever should be invoking the name of the Lord, shall be saved." ((Romans 10:8-13)

To this day Israel, as a nation, does not believe in Jesus nor do they believe God raised him from the dead - they are not invoking the name, so they are not saved - but Paul tells us that eventually all of them shall be saved…

“I am saying then, does not God thrust away His people? May it not be coming to that! ... in their offense is salvation to the nations …callousness, in part, on Israel has come, until the complement of the nations may be entering. And thus, all Israel shall be saved...He will be turning away irreverence from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them, whenever I should be eliminating their sins.” (Romans 11:1-27)

All people in every nation shall be saved as well…

"Or is He the god of the Jews only? Is He not of the nations also? Yes, of the nations also, if so be that God is One, Who will be justifying the Circumcision out of faith and the Uncircumcision through faith.” ... "There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same One is Lord of all, being rich for all who are invoking Him.  For everyone, whoever is invoking the name of the Lord, shall be saved.” (Romans 3:29-30; 10:12-13)

Few people invoke the name of the Lord in this age.  In fact, most people have lived and died before Jesus was born.  So, when will they invoke His name? The book of Revelation tells us.

"I perceived a great white throne, and Him Who is sitting upon it...And they were judged, each according to their acts."  (Revelation 20:11, 14)

It is before the Great White Throne that all will finally invoke the name of the Lord and be saved. The Apostle Paul assures humanity that everyone will acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord.

“God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee will be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue will be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)

In summary, all human beings get justified and saved the same way - as a "gracious gift of God...in Christ Jesus our Lord".


December 22nd - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

“He’s making a list and checking it twice, he’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice...you better watch out, you better not cry, you better ...