Today, as we continue to think together about thanking God for who He is, we’re going to consider how thankful we should be that our God is gracious. And because our God is also unchanging, that means he’s always been gracious. In fact, this was how God described Himself when He gave the law to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7a.
“And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.’” - Exodus 34:6-7a (NIV)
I wanted to point this out because we often think that the law of God is the opposite of the grace of God. Instead, we need to understand that the law of God reveals our need for the grace of God; and that the grace of God enables us to fulfill the law of God.
Some make the mistake of thinking that God somehow changed when we come to the New Testament. That in the Old Testament, God was cruel, demanding and judgmental, while in the New Testament, He suddenly became kind, encouraging, and forgiving. But that is not true.
Our God is, has always been, and will always be, a gracious God. Paul deals with this subject in our passage for today, as he speaks about the purpose of the law of God and the provision of the grace of God.
1. The purpose of the law of God - v. 19-21
A. To show what God expects of us - v. 19
Now, here’s a question: “Who is under the law?” We might answer, that the Jews in the Old Testament were under the law; or that people who practice religion as opposed to trusting in Christ are under the law; or that all unbelievers are under the law. But what does Paul say? He answers the question in the latter part of this verse: “so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.” Every person, believer and unbeliever, Old Testament and New Testament, will be held accountable by God according to His standard of righteousness as represented by the law.
“He (God) will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.” - Psalm 96:13b (NIV)
Of the 613 commands in the law given in the Old Testament, the Ten Commandments summarize the standard of righteousness represented by God’s law. The first five commandments focus on our relationship with God; and the last five focus on our relationship with our fellow man. This is why Jesus further summarized the law of God by saying:
“‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” - Matthew 22:37-40 (NLT)
Love God and love others. This is the standard of righteousness demanded by the law. Yet, even with this simple summary, man still cannot measure up. Which brings us to the second purpose of the law.
B. To show that all have sinned and all are condemned - v. 20
The purpose of the law is not to provide us with a way of being declared righteous; but to provide us with a way of recognizing that we need to declare ourselves to be sinful. (READ Romans 4:10-18).
Aren’t some people better than others? Yes, but God won’t judge us according to the popular idea that He’ll weigh our good deeds against our bad deeds and then declare righteous those whose good deeds outweigh their bad deeds. He judges only by the righteous standard of the law; which means that even the best among us aren’t good enough.
You might be at the top of Mount Everest; and I could be at the bottom of a valley. But there is really “no difference” (v. 23), since neither of us can touch the stars. We need help beyond ourselves. Which brings us to the third purpose of the law.
C. To convince us of our need for a Savior - v. 21
Paul mentions how the Law and the Prophets testify that the way of righteousness is not found in the law. The Law is but a means to an end. The Law is given to point us to our need to trust in our gracious God, who has ultimately revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ.
(Show “The Law” video from The Bible Project)
If salvation was never possible by keeping the Law, how were people in the Old Testament saved? The same way we are, through the work of our gracious God - Jesus Christ. Old Testament salvation is based on the cross as much as is New Testament salvation.
Salvation is possible because God paid the penalty for our sins through Christ and His sacrifice on the cross. For people in the Old Testament, salvation came as they looked by faith to our gracious God, trusting Him to graciously provide for them what they could never provide for themselves; just like people in the New Testament have salvation come as we look by faith to our gracious God, trusting Him to graciously provide for us what we could never provide for ourselves.
For the Old Testament believer, salvation was like credit - they received salvation before it was paid for. For New Testament believers, salvation is like a gift certificate - it’s been paid for, now all we have to receive it. So, how was salvation paid for?
2. The provision of the grace of God - vs. 22-24
GRACE is “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense” - all that God is free to do for us and in us because of Christ’s sacrifice for us at the cross. God’s grace, brought about the cross; and the cross provides us with:
A. Possibility of being righteous in God’s sight - v. 22a
1) It is by faith that we’re declared to be right with God.
Suppose a woman to incurred a debt at a store beyond her ability to pay. The store presses for payment, demanding justice. But in the meantime, the same woman meets a young man (who happens to be the son of the store owner) who falls in love with her and proves his love by assuming responsibility for her account and
paying her debt in full. Not only has the need for justice been satisfied, but by her accepting the son’s proposal that they share a love relationship with each other, her life is forever changed!
Through the cross, Christ proved His love and paid the debt of our sin. When we place our faith in Him, we accept that payment on our behalf; it is credited to our account; the justice of God is satisfied; and we enter a love relationship with God that forever changes our lives.
“But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.” - Romans 4:5 (NLT)
2) It is by faith that we’re empowered to do right for God.
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” - Galatians 2:20 (CSB)
The One who gave Himself for us, also gives Himself to us, so as we grow in our faith in Him, He is free to live His life through us. God has not relieved us from the standard of the law, but through Christ, we have been set free from the burden of the law!
“For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” - Romans 1:17 (NIV)
B. Assurance that all have sinned; but all can be saved - v. 22b-24a
If there was someone who people thought was beyond God’s saving grace, it was Paul. But he wasn’t alone.
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral not idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” Too often, this is as far as we read. But Paul goes on: “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NIV)
At a church were we did a prison ministry, a member asked my why we were bothering to do ministry there since so many inmates have only a “jail house” conversion. I replied, “Because if we really believe the God can save anybody, we need to be willing to share the Gospel with anybody.” No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.
C. Salvation through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus - v. 24b
Man’s sinfulness + God’s justice = Eternal Condemnation
Man’s sinfulness + God’s justice + God’s love = The Cross
Free from the law, O happy condition, Jesus hath bled, and there is remission; Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall, Grace hath redeemed us once for all. Now we are free, there's no condemnation, Jesus provides a perfect salvation; “Come unto Me,” O hear His sweet call, Come, and He saves us once for all. “Children of God,” O glorious calling, Surely His grace will keep us from falling; Passing from death to life at His call, Blessed salvation once for all. Once for all, O sinner, receive it, Once for all, O friend, now believe it; Cling to the cross, the burden will fall, Christ hath redeemed us once for all.
