August 7, 2020
All Means All
Romans 3:21-31
Hayley Dunham
Central Truth
God doesn't look at our mistakes or achievements to determine our salvation. God wants us to place our faith in Jesus and what He did for us, not in what we do or don't do.
Key Verse | Romans 3:22-23
[T]he righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:21-31
The Righteousness of God Through Faith
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 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. 26 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.
27 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. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Dive Deeper | Romans 3:21-31
One of the biggest struggles in my life is being a perfectionist. Whether it's for myself or trying to please others, I want to do everything perfectly. But every time I read this passage, I am reminded that we have all "sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) This verse always gives me a nice gut-check! It doesn't matter how perfect you try to be or how many good works you do, this verse tells us we will constantly fall short if we try to match the perfect act that Jesus did for us.
Here's the good news: even when we fall short, we are saved by our faith in Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross to save us from our shortcomings, no matter how big or small they may be. We can find assurance in our salvation in Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." It's a gift. We can't do anything to earn salvation or to lose it!
How many of us have done an act of service that made us feel good? I know I have! I'm not saying we shouldn't do acts of service—it's part of the transformation that comes from following Christ. In Romans 3:27-28, we see that boasting in our good deeds is excluded from a law of faith. "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from the law." (Romans 3:28) So we need to ask ourselves, are we boasting of works for ourselves or for Jesus?
Even when I strive for perfection, I'm reminded that God is the One who guides me and gives me confidence. We ALL fall short of the glory of God. For that, I am thankful that we have a law of faith rather than a law of good works.
Discussion Questions
1. If you were to appear at the gates of heaven and God asked you why He should let you in, what would you tell Him? (Hint: Check out Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23; and Romans 3:22-23.)
2. When do you find yourself boasting in something other than Jesus? What will you do to ensure you boast only in Jesus?
3. Take some time to reflect on where you are falling short of God's glory. What can you do to try to draw closer to the Lord when you walk through these struggles?