“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” Romans 3:28
People like to do things in order to feel good about themselves. They like to show how good they are by what they do. Doing good things shows value and worth in the world’s eyes. It makes the person better, according to the world.
With God doing good things has a different meaning. It does not change your value at all. It does not make you better or worse.
Many people in the church do many good works to look better, just like the world does. They try to appear good to others and to God. They are trying to earn their ticket into heaven. It is trying to be right before God, when one is not right.
Once a person sins against God, that sin is there for eternity unless it is removed by God Himself. Often people try to cover up that sin and make themselves look right by doing many good things. This can be outside the church or in the church.
In today’s passage Paul is pointing out that it is not through doing good works that a person is made right. It is not in following the Law that a person is made righteous.
The only way a person is made righteous before God is through faith in Jesus. Abraham was declared righteous before the law was ever given. His righteousness came by his faith in God, not by what he did.
Since this was the case, salvation became possible for everyone. Both the Jews and the Gentiles are now able to be saved, because it had nothing to do with the Law. Jesus fulfilled the Law by becoming your sacrifice for your sins. Your faith in Him is what now makes you right before God.
Since everything is by faith, everyone is the same. There is no boasting left to be done. It also gives you a reason to obey the law and to do good works. Jesus obeyed the Law and did the good work of dying on the cross for you.
What can you do for God today? What good work can you do as a way of saying thank you for your salvation, not to earn your salvation?
I pray today that you will see the gift of salvation Jesus has provided for you; that you will have faith in Jesus and not your works; that you will do good works because you are saved, not to be saved; and that you will know and understand the justification Jesus has given you.
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