An "I" Problem

“What shall we conclude then? Are we any better?” Romans 3:9

One glaring problem with people’s opinion of God is that they think He grades on a curve. This is the moralist’s view of God - I’ll be fine in His classroom because I’m a ‘good person’. But God’s way of grading is pass or fail. If we break just one law, we are a lawbreaker, and will be found guilty. Our one saving grace is that God is also a very loving God, and we can all pass through Jesus. Our life’s purpose is to find God, accept His ways as right, and then to be like Him. But we have an ‘I’ problem - pr-I-de, that leads to s-I-n. John the Baptist said, ‘He (Jesus) must become greater; I must become less.’ John 3:30. Our pride and sin are the opposite of this, and so…

IT IS A UNIVERSAL ISSUE…

*”All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23*

Paul indicts everyone when he declares, ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’. Likewise, in verses 10-18, he says: we are under the power of sin, no one is righteous, no one who understands God and no one seeks Him, we have become worthless, do no good, are deceitful, foul and bitter. In conclusion he says misery marks our way, the way of peace we do not know and there is no fear of God before our eyes. So, according to the Bible, the moralistic belief that man is inherently good is inherently wrong.

…BUT A UNIFYING SOLUTION.

“And all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24

Just as all are pronounced guilty before God, an offer is made to remedy the verdict - we are justified freely. The word ‘justified’ is a legal term that literally means, ‘It is just - if - I’d never sinned’ before God. All of our sins have been completely expunged from God’s records. This is because of the ‘atonement’ (at - one - ment) Jesus provided on the cross. Sin ripped us off, and then away from God. The only way to be one with Him again is Jesus. The cure for our disease (sin) is a blood transfusion.

“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood - to be received by faith.” Romans 3:25