Thank you for sharing. I am only sharing the Free Gift of Promise that God made with Adam & Eve, Abraham. Understanding sin and how far we have fallen, will help us understand how amazing God's Grace really is. I use to be on that hamster wheel taking self-inventory to see if I am saved through my efforts. This is a fools errands, this is the way of the Pharisees and Scribes who display an outward showing of so-called godly deeds, but inside are dead men bones. We need to be like the Tax Collector who knew who he was before a Holy God; a sinner. And knew that the only place for a sinner was in God's mercy seat.
Not until this relationship of alienation is restored or reconciled works are useless, and misleading because of our pride thinking that we can merit God's favor when we are already under the curse of the Law and condemned by it. Please understand that God's Grace redeems sinners who trust in God who justifies the ungodly.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—
22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
Do you understand what Paul is saying here? The Righteousness that is manifested apart from the Law is given by his Grace as a "FREE GIFT"
and received through Faith Alone (Self-Renouncing); received with empty hands and nothing to offer. It's what we receive that has value, the treasure of Redemption; the imputed Righteousness of Christ that is manifested apart form the Law! How glorious is this for a sinner?
For there is no distinction:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Here again, all are in the same boat before a Holy God, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God! But sinners are justified in this condition as sinners receive this as a gift of Grace; namely Christ Jesus whom God put forward as a propitiation by his precious blood and this is received by Faith Alone! It is God who is the Just and the Justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.
28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Here, Paul makes it crystal clear, where is the boasting? Because one can only boast in their own efforts or works. But since it's through Faith Alone apart form works there is no boasting because it is given Freely; a Gift. This is why Paul states, For we hold that one is justifies by Faith apart from works of the Law. Removing any boasting by us in our own works. Understand this and you understand how marvelous is this free gift God gives freely to those who believe and receive it with empty hands.
