All for the Glory of God

J.J. Stark

(For April 2016)

Field Time: Browning, MT

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study

All for the Glory of God

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

– Romans 3:23 (NKJV)

When breaking down this latter passage surrounding Romans 3, I find an amazing amount of depth to it, especially when looking at the passage surrounding it.  In this section of his letter to the believers in Rome, the apostle Paul defines how all believers are now free from the bondage under the Mosaic Law that had been so strictly enforced for thousands of years.  He starts in verses 21 and 22: “²¹But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²²even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.”  Putting myself in the Israelites’ shoes at the time when Moses brought forth the law from God, there had to have been some questions in their minds as to why these were put into place.  They didn’t understand that because the Lord is a God of purity and holiness, and because they were His chosen people, He set the law to purify them for Himself.  Paul is showing that through Christ’s death and resurrection that we are now able to see the purification from the Lord is to bring us into His righteousness, to all who believe.  Paul continues on: “For there is no difference; ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.”  Because of man’s Fall, we put ourselves under the law: our own guidance, discernment, and strength; in all of that, we are inadequate to come back to the holy unity that was originally established at the beginning of Creation.  But our Father wanted so badly to bring us back to that, that He lovingly sent His One and only Son to die…for the whole world.  Yet to take it one step closer to home, He came to die for each one individually, which means me too…even if I had been the only one on earth, He would have still come.  Jesus Christ, “²⁵whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, ²⁶to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

I don’t think it gets much clearer than that, and brings me to my knees with the importance of giving my all in humble service and worship to Him, because He demonstrates His own love towards me, in that while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. (Romans 5:8)

Application:  Today I will set aside at least an hour to just sit in His presence, be it with music or in silence.