Did you see yourself in that list of sinners? I’m sure the list is a lot longer than that! We can all think of sins we’ve committed. We can all remember seeing important people in our lives falling prey to obvious sin. Paul’s words can be startling. “[N]one of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.” But hold on, all is not lost!
Paul assures his readers that we don’t have to stay stuck in our sins. There is a way out. Jesus was sent on a rescue mission to capture our hearts and draw us closer to God. Being “right with God” is what Paul says is what we need to do. “[Y]ou were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
What does that mean for us? How do we get “right” with God? We can find some clues in Scripture. Paul clarifies that a bit in Romans 3:22, “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” Take some time to read that over a few times and sit with the truth for a moment.
Do you long to inherit the Kingdom of God? That vision really motivates me, especially after getting to know Jesus a little bit. Building a relationship with Jesus is exactly what excites me most about being part of his Kingdom. I can’t think of anyone I would rather spend eternity with.
Think about all those people stuck in sin that don’t know how easy it is to be cleansed? They don’t realize how truly miserable they are without Jesus in their lives. If they actually admitted they felt a bit empty inside, they might start looking for the solution (Jesus). I remember those years when pleasing God and getting to know him were not my priorities. I felt like something was missing in my life but I didn’t know what it was.
Being right with God is not about following rules. A lot of people like to use that excuse for not having faith. In Romans 3:21, we read, “But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.”
In Romans 3:23-24, he explains, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” The words, “yet God,” show us what God has done. He is the one who makes us right. He has the final say.
Have you accepted Jesus’ free gift of grace? Do you trust Jesus to make you “right” with God?
Let’s pray …
Father God, thank you for how you have rescued me from my sin. I love getting to know you more and spending time with you. I trust Jesus with every ounce of my being and know you are working things out for good in my life. Thank you for your sacrifice for me. I want to honor you with my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
