Good News and Bad News

First the bad news. For nearly three chapters now, Paul has been making the case for our sin and the fact that both Jews and Gentiles (the rest of us) face the same sentence of separation from God.

If you’ve ever heard of the Romans Road, you’ll recognize Romans 3:23 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” ALL – The man who lives next door, the woman in the hospital, the little boy and girl who played Joseph and Mary in the Christmas pageant, you -each of us must face the reality.

But wait, there is Good News. Verse 23 is tucked in the middle of God’s promise of salvation as His gift.

“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. “

Romans 3: 22-26

Redemption. It’s the primary theme of the Bible. Since the beginning, God has been implementing His plan to save us from ourselves and justify all who will be believe. “By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.”