I am beginning today’s article, which I left off yesterday because there is a profound truth that needs emphasis.
They are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed;
It was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3.24-26).
The “sacrifice of atonement” is the translation of one word that appears 21 times in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. It refers to the covering (the mercy seat) of the Ark of the Covenant.
Leviticus 16 describes what the High Priest would do on the Day of Atonement.
He shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, so that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the covenant, or he will die.
He shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times.
He shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the curtain, and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat (Leviticus 16.13-15).
The picture of the Day of Atonement shows that the Ten Commandments have been broken, declaring humanity guilty before God. The sacrifice and the blood placed on the mercy seat cover the sins that have been committed.
In today’s YouTube video, Rudy Ross explains that this image of the mercy seat is mirrored in the empty tomb of Jesus, with the two angels positioned at the head and the foot.
Undoubtedly, God has graciously given Himself to us through His Son, restoring our broken relationship with Him once and for all.
No Boasting
When the full impact of human sin and God’s grace dawns upon our consciousness, there is no room for pride or boasting.
Where the Jews could boast about having the Day of Atonement, no longer is it their own privileged possession, but it is free to all because of God’s love.
Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith.
For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.
Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
Since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith (Romans 3.27-30).
Paul interprets what he means in this passage in his letter to the Ephesians.
But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us
Even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
So that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life (Ephesians 2.3-10).
Paul provides five reasons why humans can only boast in God’s love not our deeds of righteousness.
(1) We were dead through our trespasses, but God made us alive to live together with Christ.
(2) It is only by his grace that we are saved.
(3) What God has done shows the riches of his grace and kindness through Messiah Jesus.
(4) Our contribution to salvation is a willingness to receive God’s grace in faith.
(5) We are new creations in Messiah Jesus and our good works stem from that relationship.
Fulfilling the Law
Jesus taught that he did not come to put an end to the law, but to fulfill it.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5.17-18).
Paul made the same point.
Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law (Romans 3.31).
The law was God’s gift to humans. It tells us how to relate to him and to one another in the best way possible.
What the law could not do was to touch the inner self of humans. The work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit was necessary to transform us from the inside out. In this way, God fulfilled the purpose of the law.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 