Paul's letter to the Romans continues with Paul's statement of confidence in the gospel and in the power of God. It is God who puts us right with Him. "The person who is put right with God through faith shall live." (1:17; Hab 2:4) People know that God has done amazing things, yet they refuse to give him honor and thanks. God doesn't force people to do what He wants, but he punishes them when they don't. When people turn away from God, they become people without kindness and love in their hearts.
Don't judge other people because you aren't perfect either. God will reward every one according to what they have done. If you do good, you get good. Hearing the Law isn't what puts people right with God, but doing what the Law demands. God through Jesus Christ will judge the secret thoughts of everyone. Paul directed his statement to the Jews who believe that they only have to know about the Law and be circumcized to be right with God. The real Jew has allowed God's Spirit inside him to circumcize his heart. That man receives praise from God, not man.
Jews had an advantage over Gentiles, because God trusted His message to them. God will be faithful whether or not the Jews are. Some people had accused Paul of lying to make God's message more plain. Paul was insulted by this; rightfully so. Paul asked if the Jews were in better off than the Gentiles? No, because everyone is under the power of sin just by living. The Law helps people understand that they have sinned, it doesn't make them right with God. "But by the free gift of God's grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free." (3:24) Sounds pretty simple. We believe in Jesus and our sins are forgiven. We have nothing to boast about, we aren't doing this for ourselves.
God accepted Abraham because he believed in Him. (If you remember, we read about Abraham in January, and he made mistakes just like the rest of us and God loved him anyway.) Before Abraham was circumcized, God forgave his sins. So if that's true, then Gentiles don't need to be circumcized to be right with God. God gave Abraham everything he promised, not because he kept the Law perfectly, but because he believed in God. Abraham never lost faith in God. Jesus died because of our sins, and he was raised to life to put us right with God.
Because we are right with God, we have His peace through Jesus Christ. God pours His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit - God's gift to us. Because of Jesus Christ, we are made God's friends.
Tomorrow read Romans 5:12-8:25
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