Today in our Bible discussion we looked at Romans 3 and God’s solution to the problem of sin. An understanding of sin and God’s plan of salvation is necessary for our witness to those who do not believe, since sin separates us from God and we need His intervention to resolve this estrangement.
If we are trying to earn God’s favour by our own goodness, this is like walking on a high wire with no safety net: one wrong move, and we are doomed. It’s impossible for us to reach God’s righteousness through our own good works, and so we need God’s help in resolving this dilemma. Paul draws many Old Testament quotations together to show us that sin is pervasive and no one (Jew or Gentile) is righteous enough; all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23) He goes on to give us the answer, however, in revealing Christ’s righteousness and sacrifice as the way back to God.
Following the law and being good is rather like trying to pay on the door at a concert only to find the ticket price is way too high. God has provided us with a different pathway, offering us a ‘free pass’ if we accept the death of His Son, Jesus, as the way back to Him. He has already paid for the pass; we can benefit from HIs amazing grace and generosity.