For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24

Since ancient times, people have sensed that something stands between God and us. So, all sorts of sacrifices and rituals were invented to try and please God. The Bible says that what is standing in the way is called sin – something that every human does. In contrast, God is the only righteous being.

So, how can sinful people establish a relationship with a righteous God? The Bible book called Romans outlines how people have failed to do this. The non-Jewish people neither glorified God nor were grateful to Him for His blessings. Instead, it says they ignored God or tried to replace Him with idols. They also insulted God through their sexual practices that did not honor the image of God in one another. These sins condemned them in God’s sight. The Jews were given special instructions about how to form a relationship with God through God’s Law, but they also sinned like the non-Jews. Romans declares, “There is no one righteous, not even one…All have turned away…” (Romans 3:10,12).

But that’s not the end of the story. Because it is not what we do or don’t do that establishes or breaks relationship with God. God’s own action through grace rescues us. “All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” explains Romans 3:24. God’s loving offer of grace makes possible a relationship between us and God, and that is what sets the gospel apart from every other spiritual practice or religion.

 

Resource reading:  Romans 3:1-31