Zealous vs Abiding
When looking through the lens of abiding at Romans 3, I look at where I am now from 2 years ago. I start to see what Paul is talking about. According to Romans 3 there is no one righteous, not even one. Before I made the profession of faith, Romans 3 pinned me down. It wasn't that I had egregious or great sins that the world might judge me for acting on. No, it was an affront to God himself on how I lived my life on my own terms. Oddly, even after accepting Christ I did this out of ignorance. I walked with a zeal for God, but acted on my own. I walked the "Christian walk" in judgment and condemnation of others who wouldn't accept what I knew was right. As I look back at that and even to the past year, 2019, I can see how I tried to use the law to bring justification with others. I wasn't saved by the Law, and the law is incapable of saving anyone. The law simply brings the realization of our sins to the forefront of our mind and lives. This most certainly has for me.
Understanding what sin really is, finding meaning and definition outside of the Lord, I can see how the Law brings up how I have missed the mark. And this would be a depressing fact if it weren't for verses 21 on. As easily as Paul brings up how the Law brings no justification he brings the solution right afterwards, Righteousness apart from God's Law. This is where freedom was found in my life. And I walked in this freedom at various levels of my walk with Christ. You see, when I put my faith in the works and person of Jesus Christ justification came. What the Law couldn't do in my life, the Holy Spirit's work through my faith in Christ did. This was a gift of grace given to me by the Trinity. Even in my walk this was not fully understood. I spent years knowing this fact, but not walking in this truth. It was not until I fully learned what this meant. This really did mean I was no longer a sinner saved by grace, but a Saint redeemed and justified by the Lord of Hosts. This was available to me, not because of who my family was or what my origins were, but because I possessed the same faith as Abraham. Since I had that, I was now brought into faith with Abraham and therefore ushered into the kingdom promises.
I hope and pray you can see that the Law is still alive and well, but its purpose is to point us to the only source of meaning that brings about life, righteousness, and healing. When we abide in Him, as Jesus showed throughout the Gospels, but seen beautifully through John, we realize the power of Paul's words. "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known... This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe... all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." You could not do it, you should not do it, you wouldn't do it, but HE did. Stop trying to earn your way, you cannot. Stop believing you aren't worthy of it, it's not based on you or what YOU did. Abide in Him as He did in the Father. Love you all.
