Romans 3:23

“For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.” Romans 3: 23-24.

This morning at church there was something that held me there, my attention, it would not let go. Obviously I want to listen or I wouldn’t go, but today it was different. In spite of this trying week, trying in many ways, God was pulling at my heart and speaking just to me. It was definitely for a reason, and He had a purpose. But doesn’t He always?

I have read this verse and heard it spoken over and over again, so many times and in different ways my entire life. God has a way of doing that though, where it’s almost like He hides a certain meaning in there on purpose so that we will dig just a little deeper, and one day when we find it, that’s when we need it most.

In a nutshell this is what He spoke to me: What He has given us, the salvation that we have, is “a pure gift” given to us through His son Jesus Christ and simply because He chose us and drew us to Him. When He looks at us He sees righteousness now that we are saved. This does not mean that we are anything special, and this righteousness that He sees is not because of us, but because His Son was willing to die for us. He sent His Son to die for us as substitute atonement for our sins.

Expiation – the means by which atonement or reparation is made.

Salvation cannot be manufactured, manipulated, or talked into. It can only be done by God and the ones He draws to himself by repentance and submission to His will.

Redemption – Theology. deliverance from sin; salvation.

Christ delivers us from sin, and although we choose to follow Him and repent of those sins, we cannot do it on our own. We need our God in heaven. Without him we would not have been forgiven or redeemed of our sins. His sovereign expiation, His grace atonement, His redeeming blood, and His everlasting, eternal, magnificent love is what truly saves us. It is only through Him that we can call ourselves saved, redeemed, forgiven…