In the Grip of Grace from Max Lucado
Part II What a God!
Ponder the achievement of God.
He doesn't condone our sin, nor does he
compromise his standard.
He doesn't ignore our rebellion, nor does he relax
his demands.
Rather than dismiss our sin, he assumes our sin
and, incredibly, sentences himself.
God's holiness is honored. Our sin is punished..
and we are redeemed.
God does what we cannot do so we can be what we
dare not to dream: perfect before God.
Chapter 6
Calling Corpses
Romans 3:21-26
21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[a] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Sin, the universal Problem
What separates us from God is sin. Every person on earth has blown it.
Listen as Paul assumes the role of country coroner and describes the cadaver of the sinner.
"Their throats are like open graves."
"They use their tongues for telling lies."
"The poison of vipers is on their lips."
"Their mouths are full of cursing and hate."
"Their feet are swift to shed blood"
(see Romans 3:13, 14,16)
What a repulsive anatomy! Sin infects the entire person, from eyes to feet. Not only does sin contaminate every human being, it contaminates the being of every human.
Sin is a fatal disease.
Sin has sentenced us to a slow, painful death.
Sin does to life what shears do to a flower. A cut at the stem separates a flower from the source of life. Initially the flower is attractive, still colorful and strong. but watch that flower over a period of time, and the leaves wilt and the petals will drop. no matter what you do, the flower will never live again. Surround it with water. stick the stem in soil. Baptize it with fertilizer.Glue the flower back on the stem. Do what you wish. The flower is dead.
A dead flower has no life.
A dead body has no life.
A dead soul has no life.
Cut off from God, the soul withers and dies. The consequence of sin is not a bad day or a bad mood but a dead soul.
The finished work of sin is to kill the soul.
We Need a Miracle
Upon seeing the problem, can't we see the solution? we don't need more religion; we need a miracle. We don't need someone to disguise the dead; we need someone to raise the dead.
The "someone" is introduced in Romans 3:22
