Today’s readings are Romans 3; Psalm 5; 10; 14; 53. I’ll be away for the next few weeks. I will, however, attempt to post a link to the readings for the 49 Week Bible Challenge so you can follow the plan easily. During this time there will be no audio versions of these blog posts.
Romans 3:11-26
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. 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.
The Roman Road is an evangelism tool that summarizes the message of the Gospel through passages from the book of Romans. It starts here in chapter 3 and includes these five passages:
1. Romans 3:23 — Everyone has sinned.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Humanity’s universal problem: no one meets God’s standard.
2. Romans 6:23 — Sin brings death, but God gives life.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Sin earns death; God gives life as a gift through Christ.
3. Romans 5:8 — God shows his love by giving Christ for sinners.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
God takes the initiative; salvation is an act of grace.
4. Romans 10:9–10 — Salvation comes through confessing and believing.
“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Faith in Christ’s lordship and resurrection is the means of salvation.
5. Romans 10:13 — The promise is open to all.
“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
The gospel is for everyone, without distinction.
These truths are essnetial and foundational to our faith in Christ. And there is one more:
Romans 10:14-17 — The message must be shared with others, so that according to God’s good will, all will be saved by grace through faith by preaching the word of Christ.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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