God's Forbearance and Righteousness revealed in Christ

God's Forbearance and Righteousness revealed in Christ

Rom.3:24-26  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:  (25)  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;  (26)  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Imagine I told people that the only way to be justified with God was to jump across the ocean to another country; obviously, that would be impossible. Without God's grace, this would serve as a good illustration of how unattainable it is for us humans to be justified before God. However, what does the human heart do? What about sinners who believe they can earn their salvation through their efforts? In their ignorance, they attempt this challenge regardless—one person jumps two feet and falls far short, while another jumps twenty feet and, instead of acknowledging how far he still is from the other side of the ocean, turns around and says, "Look how much better I am than that guy."

The point of the matter is, the man that jumps the furthest is in the deepest water. It's the people in this world who compare themselves with drug addicts and serial killers and pedophiles that are in the most trouble because they're comparing themselves to everybody around them and refusing to acknowledge how far short of the glory of God they've fallen. They think they are in a different category because they are not as bad as those people. They seem to ignore the fact that in the sight of God, they are as guilty and vile as addicts, murderers and pedophiles. What does John say, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1Jn.1:8. People who think they are more righteous than the person next to them are deceived and lie to themselves. The scriptures say that all have sinned, and all have come short of the glory of God. 

Coming back to our key verse: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness.” Notice. To declare HIS righteousness. God doesn't need you to declare his righteousness through your piety and lifestyle. God’s righteousness is not dependent on your life confession and testimony. God's son died on that cross and this act has already, and for all eternity, declared the righteousness of God. 

Paul continues to say, “… to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God.”

Its these selfsame people that say, “Why does God let this evil go on? Why does God allow these addicts and murderers to live? Why doesn’t God just judge them and rid them from this earth?” The answer is —His longsuffering. Thank God for His longsuffering over us! Think of this. You want God to start judging the pedophile? Where do you think that judgment is going to stop? Just with them? Paul continues, “Do you despise the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? Do you think that you who judge those who do such things and do the same, will escape the judgment of God?”

Listen friends. The Word of God is the Word of God. The truth is written in black and white. God is absolutely righteous and when we compare our piety and righteousness with others or even think we deserve God’s leniency because we live more righteously, then we are fools who have deceived ourselves and who choose to reject the words of God. This is not a post to condemn anyone. This is a post to bring a reality check, to evaluate our mindset, and to acknowledge the truth of the gospel message.  

Through God’s forbearance, He has been passing over and winking, Act.17:30, at sin since Adam fell in the garden. For 4,000 years, God just overlooked man's sins. And then, when his son went to the cross and died, it declared his righteousness in doing so.

Now, that was for the sins of the past. Paul continues to say, “… to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins THAT ARE PAST, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, AT THIS TIME his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Notice, sins that are past and sins at this time. That's the end of it. The righteousness of God declared through the redemption that is in his son declares God both just and the justifier of those who believe. Believe what? Look at Rom.4:5. Who does God justify? Believers. What do they believe? Rom.4:5, “To those that work not, but believe on him that justifies the ungodly.”

How does God justify the ungodly? What God is asking you to believe is this gospel, and in that gospel, his righteousness is declared—that he is both just and the justifier of believers. God doesn't want your sacraments, your confessions, your Hail Mary's, or anything else from you. He wants you to trust in the declaration that He has made, that He is just and the justifier of the ungodly. When you do that, your faith is counted for righteousness and the glory of your salvation belongs to Christ Jesus alone.

In this passage of scripture, and between Romans chapters 1 to 4, Paul has defined both the absolute righteousness of God and the absolute grace of God to be able to save us all, who are all guilty. Paul have clearly verbalized the wisdom and love of God, who as an absolutely righteous and holy Judge, was able to declare those who choose to believe in Jesus Christ as innocent and blameless, not because of us, but because of the payment, the propitiation (appeasement) of the sacrifice of His Son for us, that he might be able to impute the righteousness of His Son upon us if we believe. Thus, each one of us who believe in Christ, though we were as guilty as any addict, murderer, or pedophile, can be freely declared righteous and blameless through Jesus Christ. 

Oh God most holy, how great is your love, how great is your wisdom, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, the ungodly, so that we might be reconciled to God by the death of his Son, and, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Rom.5:8-10. Amen.