WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday July 17, 2016
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GOD SETS THINGS RIGHT
(JESUS is our sacrifice of atonement)
(Romans 3:21-31)
The Law of GOD is designed to
show man his own weaknesses and sinfulness. Once we learn what GOD wants us to
do as human beings, and try to satisfy the law, we just as quickly learn how
far we are from being able to do it. Either we feel that we can never
completely obey GOD, or, that we have no desire to try to obey HIM. Fortunately
for us, the way to GOD is not through obedience to the Law, but rather, it is
through faith in CHRIST, and then, it is our faith in CHRIST JESUS, that fuels
our desire to do those things that are pleasing to GOD.
In Romans chapter 3, verses
21-31, the Apostle Paul teaches us how JESUS took our punishment for sin unto
HIMSELF and personally delivered us from the permanency of the grave, or “death”,
or, “permanent separation from GOD”. Through the vicarious sacrifice of CHRIST
JESUS, GOD shows us a different way to righteousness than had been taught by
the earlier leaders of Judaism in Jerusalem in the first century, prior to
JESUS’ coming.
Obeying the Law, in itself,
is not the way that Scripture teaches us how we can arrive at the “righteous
state” that will qualify us to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. In fact, we
can’t even acquire righteousness on our own, at all. Christians are granted an “imputed
righteousness” through their belief and faith in CHRIST, the only proven
RIGHTEOUS ONE. We are made right in GOD’s sight when we trust in JESUS to take
away our sins (Vs.21-22).
We all come to CHRIST as “sinners”,
or with “sin experience”, and were already at a deficit, falling far short of
GOD’s OWN glorious standards (v.23). Our original nature (GOD’s Nature) that we
were born with (made in GOD’s OWN spiritual image) had been damaged, or defiled
from the moment we accepted satan’s “sin nature” the first time we disobeyed
GOD, after we reached an age of accountability.
Through CHRIST, a gracious
GOD in Heaven is giving us an opportunity at redemption through “no work” of
our own. JESUS volunteered to accept GOD’s request that HE come to earth to “take
the sting out of death”, which was our punishment for sin. This satisfied GOD’s
anger because of our iniquities, and restored us back into a personal
relationship of friendship with GOD (Vs.24-25).
When, we as human beings sin, we sometimes
display “what we think is” amazing “human ingenuity”, as we try to justify that
sin. And even through our excuses may sound good, and make perfect sense to us,
GOD, is not buying our foolishness. In verse 26 of this third chapter of
Romans, we see a good and gracious paradox. Here Paul tells us that GOD is “just”
and “fair”, and that, in that incredible, miraculous “grace” that, JESUS came to
bring us, GOD accepts the sinner, not as a criminal, but as a son whom HE still
loves. Thank YOU GOD!
Remember, obedience to the laws of GOD is
what we can do for ourselves; however, “grace” is concerned with what GOD can
do, and, is doing, for us. The Laws of GOD serve to show us, just how far we
are from HIS high and glorious standards. It exposes things to us, some of
which, we didn’t even know were sins.
The law shows us, very vividly, our need
for grace, and, a SAVIOR. GOD’s grace gives us a chance to escape the bondage
of sin, as there is nothing good in our own flesh. The only way for us to be
reconciled to GOD is through grace received as a result of our belief in our
LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.
All of our human acts are tainted by our
own sin nature, and thereby, less than perfect, and not acceptable to GOD. GOD’s
Law serves to show us our imperfections, and when we are measured by HIS
glorious standard, we all come up short.
Everyone has already been judged by GOD’s Law,
and the verdict has been announced by GOD, as guilty. Our “righteousness”, or, “justification”,
can never come from our own acts, but rather, it can only come from the distinctive
acts of an Almighty gracious GOD in Heaven.
A Sunday school
lesson by,
Larry D.
Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official
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