This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:22-23 (NIV)
Given to Everyone Who Believes
God gives his righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, and he gives it to everyone who believes, with no difference made between Jew and Gentile. It comes as a gift because of what’s true of every person alive: all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
At the lake, a family is getting a tent up in the rain. The father has the instructions in a plastic sleeve and hasn’t looked at them. The younger boy is holding his pole at the wrong angle and being told so by his sister, who’s holding hers wrong too. Their mother has been back to the car twice, once for the mallet and once for the bag the mallet was in, and she’s laughing about the second trip. The rainfly is still in the trunk, and so far the father hasn’t mentioned it.
Paul says the righteousness is given. God has it, God gives it, and faith in Jesus Christ is how it reaches anyone at all. So it arrives on the same terms for everyone who believes, and it comes from outside the person receiving it. People who all fall short could only ever have gotten it that way.
If there’s real work in your week, it’s real work, and it still isn’t the thing that put you in front of God. He gave you the standing himself, and faith in Jesus Christ is how you’ve got hold of it. Whatever you manage by tonight, you’ll be standing on what he gave you when you go to bed.
The rain doesn’t let up. They get the second pole seated, and their mother goes back to the car a third time.
A Prayer to Remember
The car’s still cold and I haven’t backed out of the driveway yet, Lord, and I’ve already graded my own morning. You gave me a standing with you that I had no part in building. Let that be the ground under me today, whichever way the day goes.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
