Posts by Yong Joo Park:
Righteousness Through Faith
Romans 4:1–3 (NLT)
1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
Message
See verse 1a.
1a Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation.
Abraham’s original name was Abram. God commanded him to leave his native country, his relatives, and his father’s family, and go to the land He would show him (Genesis 12:1). God promised to make him into a great nation (Genesis 12:2a), which is now called Israel. Therefore, Abraham is the forefather and founder of the nation of Israel.
See verse 1b.
1b What did he discover about being made right with God?
Was Abraham made right with God by his “good deeds”? (2a).
If that had been true, he would have had something to boast about (2b). But that was not God’s way (2c).
The answer is found in verse 3, which quotes Genesis 15:6.
3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
This statement was written in Genesis 15:6 when Abram was 85 years old. It had been about ten years since God first called him to leave his country, his relatives and his father’s household.
Yet, Abram still had no child. He was even considering his servant as his heir (Genesis 15:2, 3). But God promised that he would have a son of his own and descendants as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:4, 5).
See Genesis 15:6 NTL.
6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.
Despite his advanced age and the long waiting period of ten years — and still counting — Abraham believed God and trusted the future God had promised him: his own son and countless descendants.
At that very moment, God counted him as righteous — not because of his works, but because of his faith.
Justified by Faith Alone: The End of Boasting and the Law’s True Fulfillment
Romans 3:27–31 (NLT) 27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. 29 After all, is God the God of […]
The Cross: Where God’s Justice and Mercy Meet
Romans 3:25c–26 (NLT) 25c This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and […]
God’s Justice Satisfied, His Grace Given Through Christ: The Greatest Love in Action That Restored Us
Romans 3:24b–25b (NLT) 24b He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. Message I. Made Right Through Christ: Grace Given, […]
Grace That Makes Us Right — Without Excusing Guilt
Romans 3:24a (NLT) 24a Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. Message We studied the universal reality of sin and falling short of God’s glory in Romans 3:23. What, then, makes us right with God in His sight? Verse 24a gives the answer: 24a Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us […]
Falling Short of God’s Glory: Sin, Shame, and the Loss of Openness
Romans 3:23 (NLT) 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Message See verse 23. 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. God created human beings in God’s own image (Genesis 1:27). They are called Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:20). Their fall is described in Genesis […]
Made Right With God—Apart from the Law and Available to All Who Believe
Romans 3:21–22 (NLT) 21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for […]
All People Are Sinners: The Testimony of Scripture and the Purpose and Limitation of the Law
Romans 3:9–20 (NLT) 9 Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. 10 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. 11 No one is truly wise; no one […]
When Human Reasoning Tries to Justify Sin
Romans 3:5–8 (NLT) 5 “But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) 6 Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge […]
God Remains Faithful Even When We Fail
Romans 3:3–4 (NLT) 3 True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? 4 Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your […]
