Pros

update

09 March 06

God’s judgment is fair

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. Romans 3:19-20

In Romans 3v9 Paul says ‘What then shall we conclude…?’ His argument has in fact been building to 3v19-20 since 1v18. Every mouth is stopped (no one has an excuse for their actions in denying they know God). All are accountable (no one is exempt as not knowing!), and as no one can ‘do’ the law no one will avoid God’s wrath and death. All our best efforts at keeping the law simply show us our failure. The whole human race is rounded up before the creator and found guilty of the charge in 1v21.

We must bring people to understand their real need. We must return to the Biblical perspective in our evangelism. Our rejection of God the creator means we face Jesus the judge. It is only when that is clear that Jesus the saviour makes any sense. We will meet Jesus the judge and we will fall desperately short, and we will face death. And it is true for all. It is only when we realise this that we realise what we need saving from. How else do people know why they need saving, and what actually from?

We must engage with what people really think and address their real excuses – ie stop their mouths! Paul wanted to know their excuses so he could answer them. He stood in market places and synagogues engaged with real questions from real people. Seek first to understand, and then to be understood.

All people will experience God’s wrath. No one is excused or exempt. Therefore all must hear, hence Paul’s reason for writing. It is a missionary manifesto and we are called to make sport our mission. But as we read we are left with the question – is there any hope? Find out next week!

Graham and Stuart

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