The theme of Paul’s letter to the Romans is that GOD OFFERS SALVATION TO MANKIND ON THE BASIS OF GRACE, “For by GRACE you have been SAVED through faith. And this is NOT your own doing; it is THE GIFT OF GOD, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) It is not about our own good deeds or merits. In fact, if salvation were based on works, ALL OF HUMANITY WOULD BE DOOMED, since NOBODY can live up to the moral standards of a perfectly Holy God. “As it is written: “There is NO ONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE (our lives are completely messed up); there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. ALL HAVE TURNED AWAY, they have together BECOME WORTHLESS; there is NO ONE WHO DOES GOOD, NOT EVEN ONE.” (Romans 3:10-12)
Doesn’t that seem harsh to you? It is not me saying that it is THE WORD OF GOD saying that! It also says, “The LORD looks down from heaven on ALL MANKIND to see if there are any WHO UNDERSTAND, any WHO SEEK GOD. ALL have TURNED AWAY, all have BECOME CORRUPT; there is NO ONE WHO DOES GOOD, NOT EVEN ONE.” (Psalms 14:2-3)
Paul tells us, “The god of this age (Satan) has BLINDED THE MINDS OF UNBELIEVERS, so that they CANNOT SEE THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL that displays the GLORY OF CHRIST, who is THE IMAGE OF GOD.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) Paul teaches us in another place, “Once you were under God’s curse, DOOMED FOREVER for your sins. You went along with the crowd and were just like all the others, FULL OF SIN, OBEYING SATAN, the mighty PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, who is at work RIGHT NOW in the hearts of those who are against the Lord.” (Ephesians 2:1-2)
Adam and Eve yielded to Satan and disobeyed God and their lives became a major MESS, they were NO LONGER SAVED, some how many today think that its ok to sin because we don’t really get SEPARATED FROM GOD. But we cannot be joined to God when we are SINNERS! When Adam and Eve sinned, they temporarily gave their allegiance to the devil. That’s when Satan became the “god of this world.” When we are born in this world, we are born into sin “for ALL HAVE SINNED and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23) Paul said, “that Christ DIED FOR OUR SINS according to the Scriptures…” (1 Corinthians 15:3) And we must “Repent therefore and BE CONVERTED (saved, born again), that your sins may be BLOTTED OUT, so that times of refreshing (when we become a brand new creation in Christ) may come from the presence of the Lord…” (Acts 3:19)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham