for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; Romans 3:23-24 WEB
Romans 3:23 is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible. It describes the corrupt nature of man. Romans 3:24 describes the free gift and grace of salvation through the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Together, these verses make clear that all people deserve the judgment of God for sinful behavior. Further, all of those who believe in Christ and repent from sin are freely reconciled to God by their faith in him.
No one deserves eternal life in heaven. No one earns it. It is a free gift that comes from the love of God. Jesus makes it possible for us to be redeemed by his grace. Salvation is not the result of anything we have done but rather, we receive salvation in spite of what we have done. Grace means we receive eternal life in heaven as a free gift even though, through our sin, we earned the penalty of death and eternal condemnation.
Reconciled to God by Grace
We cannot be justified through the law because of sin. Each of us falls short of living perfect lives. Therefore, the law condemns us. That is why we need a Savior. Jesus, who came to earth as God in the flesh, lived a sinless life and died in our place on the cross. On Calvary, the Lord paid our sin debt in full. All that is left for the sinner is to accept Jesus as Savior thereby being reconciled to God by his grace.
Sin prevents us from sharing in the glory of the kingdom of heaven. Mercifully, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin. As we read in 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. WEB”
Prayer: “Thank you for the gift of salvation. Help me to live a life that is pleasing to you. Deliver me from sin and lead me to walk in the light of the truth. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: Be Watchful
