Romans 3:1-31

We now come to the 23rd verse of Romans chapter 3 and Paul makes an all inclusive statement "For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Friends, just as ALL have sinned, ALL were made righteous in Christ Jesus. Romans chapter 5. Paul's message here in Romans to the Roman's was pretty much this -"I don't care who you claim to have as your father (Abraham) and I don't care how much you pray, tithe, attend church, do good deeds, how may laws you've kept, how many of you had your private shortened, shaved your head, sacrificed, and how holier than thou you all think you are."

"The fact is that ALL of you, Jews and Gentiles, don't gain any ground with God through the works of the law. You never have, you never will, because there is none righteous. None that understands. None that seeketh God by grace apart from the works of the law. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. If you are still trusting in the law, then you are still in your sins. For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. It makes no difference, Jew or Gentile."

Friends, what is the glory of God? If you ask nut case 'Steve Munsey' or 'Rod Parsley' or any of these word of flakes loony tunes, they will take you into a sensational dramatic, religious acting journey of confusion that will make you think that it is your sins and lack of good works that makes you come short of the glory of God. Thank God that Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 that in Christ we have been delivered from what was once glorious (the law) to Him who is now our glorious freedom...Jesus. The grace of God in Christ is the glory of God. We've passed from that which was to that which is.

From the law of sin and death, to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Rom. 8:2. Friends, we don't get to the glory of God by what we do nor through the dead works of the law, nor by trusting in God's grace and being kept by laws. If Paul is doing anything here in this letter to the Romans, he pretty much sums it up by saying -"Hey, this is your life and brain under the law- worry, fear, condemnation, bondage, anxiety, wrath, eternal damnation, a living hell on earth, and this is now your life and brain under that which has become more glorious - peace, joy, rest, confidence, and freedom simply because of what Paul teaches in verse 24 of chapter 3 -"Being justified FREELY by His GRACE through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Now, how were we justified? Did it say that we were justified by our works? Did it say that it has to be earned? Was it not FREELY BY the Grace of Jesus? Did it say when we believed that we were justified? Did it say that it had to be received in order for anyone to receive the free gift of grace? Did Paul say that we receive the free gift of grace by the keeping of the law, our morality, performance or works?

Friends, this redemption of the grace of God did not come by some act of holier than thou two face repentance on our part. This redemption, sanctification, justification was a total unconditional gift of love freely given to us by His Son Christ Jesus. He did the work, finished the work, satisfied the claims of justice, presented the final blood of the new covenant before the throne of grace, and then said and continues to say to the Evangelical Church and all the religions (cults) around the world - "For God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not holding their sins against them". 2 Cor. 5:19

It doesn't get anymore glorious than that. Look at verse 25 and get ready to jump for joy. It says that it was God who set forth Jesus (the unblemished sacrificial lamb) to be a propitiation by the shedding of His own blood, to declare His (not ours nor the law's) righteousness for the remissions (cleansing) of sins "THAT ARE PAST" through the forbearance of God; To declare at this time (what time)? His righteousness (who's righteousness)? that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Again, BELIEVETH WHAT?

Friends, I cannot go on without going back to the 3 little words found in verse 26 "that are past." How many sins are past? Where do we find these past sins? Under what covenant? If God set forth His own Son as a sacrifice for sin to declare His righteousness for the remissions of sins, then how many sins are past? Where did sin get its strength from? When were our sins being held against us? If our sins are a thing of the past and the author of Hebrews has told us that as far as the east is from the west, our sins God remembers no more, then why are we listening to the horse manure doctrines of that who's glory has passed away (the law) instead of listening to the one who justified us freely by His grace?

I remember how I used to tell people "Hey, God may not remember your east and west sins, but He still remembers your north and south sins." Talk about witchcraft!!!

Now, many of you are wondering about the next verse... I am about to sent out part 11 and the answer is found there. Again, I pose the question: "He who believeth in what?" Again, if ALL were made sinners through the disobedience of one man, then how many were made righteous through the obedience of another? 2 Cor. 5:19 Romans chapter 5:17-18.

If Jesus is only the justifier of only those who have believed, then what Jesus did at the cross was a total lie and failure and righteousness then comes by the law and the whole world are still in their sins. That would also mean that none of the disciples made it because all denied Him.

Again, how many did God conclude in unbelief? And how many did God had mercy on? Romans 11:32. Did God only have mercy on the believing? Who did Jesus say He had come for? Did He say He had come for the well, and the righteous? If Jesus came only for the believing and is only the justifier of them that believe, then Jesus did not and has not fulfilled the law.

That would mean that verse 3 of Romans chapter 3 is a lie and Paul was not telling the truth when he said: "For what is some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?" The answer to these 2 questions is found in verse 4 "GOD FORBID!" If God is the justifier of them that believe, then verse 4 should have read: "Let God be a liar and every man the truth."

As far as Paul is concern there aren't anymore Jews or Gentiles because we are all one in Christ. There is only one family as I clearly expounded in the articles I wrote on Ephesians. If there is only one family in Christ, and the "believing" faith of every woman and man was counted as unbelief, then of how many is Jesus the justifier of?

To be continued....

Grace N Peace

Eddie Narvaez