There can be no title (Romans 3:27-31)
Content - It cannot be - (Romans 3:27-31)
The public opinion is only chilled by reports that Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo's rich man is giving back an astronomical amount of 1 trillion won to society.
This is a response to the attitude of trying to cover up the sin of creating a slush fund and illegally succeeding in management with money.
A terrifying tsunami of 'materialism' is sweeping the society, where they control everything with money, receive forgiveness of their sins with money, and break free from the law.
But sin cannot be solved by anything in this world. It shouldn't even be resolved.
Sin must pay a fair price for it. This is justice.
So what about us? This is what we look like. “Their throats are open graves, their tongues practice deceit, their lips are the poison of vipers, their mouths are full of curses and bitterness, their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and trouble are in their way, they know the way of peace as it is said, “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:13-18).
The protagonist of the actions listed here is 'I'. Who can pay for this human sin? Nothing in the world can pay for sin.
The only way is for humans to die. Even an innocent person must die. But no one is without sin.
Because 'all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23), God Himself sent His only begotten Son to this earth and made him a propitiation sacrifice on the cross.
“God set forth this Jesus as a propitiation through faith through his blood, so that, in the forbearance of God, he might show his righteousness by overcoming the sins he had committed before” (Romans 3:25).
He tore flesh and bled on the cross. At that very moment, God was silent even when his beloved child cried out like that.
He bound the hand of that power to himself, and he was there as if he could do nothing.
The shedding of the blood of this Son and the silence of the Father have saved us today from our great sins.
What have we done for our salvation? Nothing. So the text starts like this.
“Then, where is the place to boast?” Then he says firmly without giving him a chance to breathe. The “cannot be” question continues.
“Is God the only God of the Jews?” (Romans 3:29) This question is also answered clearly and firmly. “It cannot be, but it establishes the law” (31).
These three questions seem unrelated to each other, but they do have a logical connection with one flow. Only the emphasis is different.
There is only one answer to the question. “It cannot be.” In fact, these three questions and answers are the two pillars of the book of Romans.
Romans from beginning to end reveals that man has nothing to boast about before God, and that God is not the only God of the Jews.
And while the book of Romans seems to emphasize faith, it actually emphasizes works as well.
These three questions are for us who have been saved. So, in front of this question, we should be able to firmly say, "It can't be."
First of all, we must not boast before God. It is not because I am worthy of being saved because I am saved.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
In fact, the biggest obstacle to believing in Jesus is pride. Pride is a terrible toxin that prevents faith from growing and makes you sick.
What motivated humans to sin in the first place? It was because of the temptation to “be open and become like God” (Genesis 3:5).
How did an angel become Satan in an instant? "I will ascend on the highest cloud, and I will be like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:14) Was it not because of this temptation of pride?
That is why pride is an unacceptable sin.
Let me ask you a question. Who am I?
“I attack indiscriminately the poor and the rich, the illiterate and the learned, those who know or do not know God’s grace, those who have a long history of faith and those who are new believers. I am not easily exposed because I am a master of transformation and disguise. When I am exposed, like cancer, it has spread so much that I can no longer use my hands. Therefore, it is difficult to detect and cure. My destructive power is limitless because I have a special impact on relationships in all fields. Where I have passed, only antagonism, envy, hatred and distrust remain, making it difficult to rectify it. I am the one who played the role of knocking down the most spiritual people in the history of Christianity. It is also the infamous element of being the most persistent in destroying communities. I am the one who plays the most important role among the factors that hinder the development and growth of the community. Who am I?” The answer is pride.
C.S. Lewis expresses pride in this way in 'Pure Christianity'.
'Since the beginning of history, pride has been the main cause of misery in all countries and families.
Sometimes a certain vice unites a person. We can find friendship and fellowship among drunkards and lewd people.
But pride always brings confrontation. It brings confrontation not only between man and man, but also between man and God.
While we are in God, we often face someone who is beyond measure to be greater than ourselves.
We cannot know God until we realize that He is superior in every way and that we are nothing.
A proud person always looks down on people and things. And as long as he looks down, he cannot see the One above. You can never know God in a proud state'
As the great preacher Charles H. Spurgeon said, "God deals with other sins with his fingers, but with pride he rolls up his arms. On covetousness he brings terrible judgments, but on pride he brings judgments ten times heavier." .
The second question is: 'Is God the only God of the Jews? Originally, the Jews meant the chosen people of Israel.
However, in this text, the Jews refer to the entire spiritually saved people of God.
Is God our own God? Did God give His only begotten Son for us, and did Jesus Christ shed His blood on the cross just for us?
The Bible says: “Truly, he is also the God of the Gentiles.” God's earnest hope is contained here.
God wants not only to be my God now, but also to be the God of the Gentiles, that is, those who do not yet know Jesus Christ.
The reason we first became spiritual Jews is to be instrumental in bringing Gentiles back to God through us.
We believed in Jesus first, but we must not let God stay with our God alone.
It is truly “impossible.” They must also become children of God, that is, spiritual Jews. This is what the saved should do.
Finally, let's look at the question. “Are we making no work of the law through faith?” (Romans 3:31).
We are not saved by keeping the law. We are saved only through faith.
Does that mean that the law no longer has to be obeyed?
Jesus gave a clear answer to this question. “Do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets; I did not come to abolish it, but to complete it. 18)
In the Old Testament, which emphasizes the law, there are 613 commandments that we must keep.
On the other hand, a whopping 1,051 commandments are recorded in the New Testament that emphasizes grace.
Doesn't this mean that we should live by keeping God's word more in the age of grace? Of course, we are saved by faith.
However, we who have been saved are now given the responsibility and duty to live as children of God.
Dear saints,
There is one word to emphasize in today's text. It is faith. (27, 28, 30, 31).
This belief includes the cross and resurrection of Jesus. The amazing message that the Lord died for me and that the Lord lived for me is contained in this word 'faith'.
So, what do we have to brag about today? I must boast in Jesus, not in my righteousness or my merits.
We must preach only Jesus, who saved sinners like me and made them descendants of spiritual Abraham.
We must strive to live according to the Word with Him who lives within us.
Have something to brag about? "It cannot be" Is the God of Jews only? "It cannot be. Is the law obsolete now? "It cannot be."
May all of us here confidently answer these questions.
I hope to be able to live like that.