Romans 3: 21-24

(Romans 3: 21-24)

『But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 』

 

The Old Testament says: A propitiation is a mercy seat on the ark. The lamb's blood acts as a propitiation between God and the sinner because God covers the sinner's sin through the sheep's blood. The sinner therefore believes in "the lamb's blood acting as a propitiation." It is faith that unites with the death of the sinner and the Lamb. If the Lamb's death and the sinner perceive it as different beings, blood does not act as a propitiation in the Atonement. So Jesus told everyone to "deny self and take up his cross and follow me." If we are not one with Jesus who died on the cross, we are not saved from God. How absurd is the phrase, "If you believe in Jesus, you will be saved."

 

"Take our own cross" means that we are the death penalty for God. If we do not recognize the death penalty for God, Jesus will say, "I do not know you." The Bible lists the sins of death in Romans (1: 23-31). All are sentenced to death by God. This is the gospel to the listener because the gospel gives them the opportunity to repent. However, if a church man says to a newcomer, "God is love, you are born to be saved," he misses the opportunity to repent. In today's situation, many churches are weakening the gospel to bring people to church. The church people deceive sinners, and he adds sin to God. When we preach the gospel properly, it becomes the power of God.『 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 』(Romans 1 16)

 

The power of the gospel may be manifested more in times of suffering.『For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 』(Romans 1: 17-19)

 

This faith leads to salvation when people realize that "God is angry with sinners," and believe that "there is no salvation except in Jesus Christ." So faith of salvation is faith that dies with Jesus Christ. The exodus Hebrews had faith across the Red Sea, but they did not have faith across the Jordan. I believe that all believers are under the wrath of God and that Jesus Christ died for all humans. But unless they are united with Jesus Christ, they are like the Hebrews who did not enter Canaan.

 

Thus, if the first faith does not last to the end, it can be far from salvation.『Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. 』 (Hebrews 4: 1-2)

 

The Hebrew people forsook their own "faith entering Canaan" in the wilderness. Man has abandoned his covenant with God. God does not break the covenant first. Human beings break the covenant first. We must realize whether we have broken our covenant with God or not. Those who think they have never made a covenant with God are those who have not even Exodus. But if you say that you are keeping the covenant without entering Canaan, you are old men, like the Hebrew people who died in the wilderness. Faith entering Canaan is faith entering into Jesus of the cross.

 

Among the people, those who had faith in Exodus to cross the Red Sea and entered Canaan (Joshua and Caleb) were saved, and God was called the righteous. In the same way, those who believe that Jesus Christ died for his sins are saved only if they lead to faith in Romans (6: 3-4).『 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 』 Both conditions must be fulfilled. However, most church people believe that they are satisfied with that faith in Jesus. They think that there is only one thing.

 

We must be called and chosen to enter the kingdom of God. If we are called, but not chosen, we are cast out of the dark. The story of the foolish five and the wise five virgins is the same. All are believers who came to the church because they believed in Jesus (lit their lamps), but those who did not prepare other oil were foolish virgins. The other oil is the Holy Spirit. In order to receive the Holy Spirit, we must die with Jesus on the cross. Thus, we are born again of the Holy Spirit.

 

The Bible speaks to five foolish virgins.『 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 』(Romans 3: 19) All who are not given the power of the Holy Spirit are those under God's law of wrath that must die.