What if...

 

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for fall 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. 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 3:21-26 ESV).

 

Faith in Jesus comes as a gracious gift from God. Through faith imparted by the Holy Spirit, we are made right with God. In our reading today we learn what happens when we are given the faith to believe. The Apostle Paul lays out a tight argument on the movement from guilt to grace. He reminds his readers that the law revealed to God’s people since ancient times does cannot save. The law convicts us of our sin. And, then he exclaims, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” It is an honest but hopeless declaration. It removes all the “what if’s” from our argument. What if I keep all the commandments most of the time? What if I keep almost all of the commandments all of the time? What if I’m nearly perfect? Paul would simply say, “That’s not good enough. No one can be good enough. All have sinned and fallen short” (v. 23).

 

The good news, however, is that we can be made right with God (justified) through believing in Jesus Christ and being credited with his righteousness. Jesus stands in our place. His blood was shed for our sake, so when we believe (have faith) in him as the Savior, we are saved and made right with God.

 

Again Paul rejects any thoughts of bragging. We can’t take any credit for becoming right with God. We only receive the saving power of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice through God’s grace, grace that extends even to the very act of believing and trusting (having faith) in Jesus. God’s astounding love and mercy bring us to our knees in awe and wonder. Paul himself exuberantly exclaims later, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33).

 

There can be no other way. Jesus is the only way!