Romans 3:9a
"What then? are we better than they?…"
Now we want to remember while we're reading this, when Paul says "we," who’s he referring to? The Jew. Israel. Are we Jews better than those filthy, Gentile pagan dogs. And what’s his answer? Well it’s "no" of course. See! This is why the Jews hated Paul.
Romans 3:9b
"…No in no wise; for we have before proved, (see, proved beyond a shadow of a doubt.) both Jews and Gentiles, that they are, all, (including the priesthood. Including the prostitutes, including the kings and emperors, including the princes and the religious leaders of the Gentile world. They’re all, where?) under sin." They’re all under the curse, they’re all sons of Adam. Alright. Then come on down to verse 10.
Romans 3:10
"As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one:" And then we come to that glorious remedy over here in the same chapter, verse 21 and 22. Here’s the remedy for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 3:21a
"But now…"
Now when Paul says but now, and he uses that so often, he uses it in Ephesians a couple of times, and in various other places. But now, what’s he talking about? On this side of the cross and the ascension. On this side of the cross is our redemption which is to bring to our salvation, and we’re going to look at that. With salvation completed and finished, there’s no more need for Temple, there’s no more need for priests who minister in the material or earthy things, and there’s no more need for legalism the Levitical Law, because we’re on this side of the cross, and the Grace of God has been given out and continues to be given. The wrath of God was poured on that cross. The skies turned black and rain fell heavily upon it and the Christ. Alright, now look what he says:
Romans 3:21a
"But now, (on this side of the cross) the righteousness of God…." Not the righteousness of the Pharisees; not the righteousness of your denominational leadership or any of the rest of it, but rather it’s the righteousness of God.
Romans 3:21
"But now, the righteousness of God, without the law is manifested, (has been put in the spot light) being witnessed by the law and the prophets;"
In other words, we think one of the things, Paul said was, "Hey, this wasn’t done in a corner." We’re not pulling something out of the woodwork that’s just to shock people. Hey, this was something that was laid out since Genesis chapter 2. That God was going to provide a salvation that would include the whole human race, a salvation so available that no one need ever miss it." Its named or called “from the foundation of the world” the place of first beginnings, why because Christ was the spirit of man formed as an invisible image of his Father, the Father of spirits as seen in Genesis chapter one. The part of man that died when Adam ate of the fruit, that seed of woman which we all carry in our soul and will remain there asleep until the Light (illumination) of this Gospel strikes it, that part that was separated from God and by that one action placed all mankind under Satan's rule, unbelief.
This is why no one that goes to that eternal Lake of Fire will offer one word of argument. And when they get there for the eons of eternity, the only thing they’re going to be able to say is, "Why did I choose to come to this place?" It wasn’t that there wasn’t an alternative. They chose it! God has done everything He could do. They could have had it free for nothing just like we got ours. Alright, now read on.
Romans 3:22a
"Even the righteousness of God which is by the faith of (or in) Jesus Christ to all them that (what?) believe:…
What’s the opposite of believing? Unbelief! And so if God hates unbelief what’s His response to believing? All the joy of Heaven. Nothing thrills God more than to see someone say,Yes, Lord I believe it! I trust it! See? Alright, but now the part we want you to see.
Romans 3:22b
"…for there is no difference:"
It comes to all them that believe for there is no difference between Hebrew and Gentile. As He told Jeremiah all shall know Me from the lest to the greatest all, that leaves no one not knowing Him to some degree or fashion.
There is still no difference between Hebrew and Gentile today. We’re all on the same level playing field. A Jew has to be saved today, just like a Gentile, and a Gentile has to be saved the same as a Hebrew, and that is by FAITH + NOTHING! Not by doing the required works under a dead and wasted Law that God has put away. By so doing mans making a mockery of God's Word by putting himself above God and making the old law an idol of religion.
Hebrews 4:2a
"For to us (that is now in the Age of Grace under Paul’s Gospel) the gospel was preached, as well as to them:"
In other words, all the way up through human history, God has been offering salvation. Now of course in the early days of the human experience it wasn’t a faith + nothing like we have today. But as Abel so explicitly demonstrated, that when he recognized he had sinned, he brought the prescribed animal sacrifice and God accepted it. Now of course, today we don’t have to do that. A little later on when Israel got the Temple worship and the Levitical Law, the sacrifices became instrumental, mixed with trust of course. It’s always by trusting. And then now we come up to where we are today where we can stand here and adamantly proclaim that we are saved by His Faith + nothing. (Christ+nothing) We don’t have to bring a sacrifice, we don’t have to do this or do that. Today the only requirement for our redemption and salvation is to believe in our hearts Paul’s beautiful Gospel that he proclaimed, and that was given only to him for this Age of Grace. You can see that Gospel in I Corinthians 15:1-4.
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