Devotion: God wants You

 But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,  since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.  – Romans 3:21-26 (NRSV)

 A beautiful passage – but  so many big words!  I used to read past words like these and assume I knew what they  meant. I have heard words like these in church for most of my life.  However, it doesn’t necessarily follow that I know their meanings.

So- let’s break some of these down. The following definitions are from a common web dictionary, with the addition of some word history – because I really like to dig into words!

RIGHTEOUSNESS: morally right or justifiable, the quality or state of being just, virtuous.  In Old English – the quality of being right and wise.

FORGIVENESS: to grant pardon, to cancel indebtedness, to cease to feel resentment against.  Old English forgiefnes “pardon, forgiveness, indulgence.”

SIN: transgression (to violate a law or command) of God’s known will or any principle or law regarded as embodying this; the condition of estrangement from God arising from such transgression, offence against God.

FORBEARANCE: a refraining from something, patient endurance; self-control.

GRACE: mercy; clemency; pardon: a manifestation of favor. For the ancient Romans, gratia had three distinct meanings: a pleasing quality, favor or goodwill, and gratitude or thanks. From Latin gratia “favor, esteem, regard; pleasing quality, goodwill, gratitude.”

JUSTIFY: to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit. From Latin iustificare “act justly toward, make just.”

FAITH: confidence or trust in a person or thing: belief that is not based on proof: from Latin fides “trust, faith, confidence, reliance, credence, belief.”

REDEMPTION: forgiveness or absolution for past sins or errors and protection from damnation and disgrace, eternal or temporary, generally through sacrifice. Redemption is common in many world religions, including Indian religions and all Abrahamic religions, especially in Christianity and Islam.

SACRIFICE: to surrender or give up for the sake of something else.  from the Latin sacrificium “act of giving up one thing for another; something given up for the sake of another.”

ATONEMENT: the doctrine concerning the reconciliation of God and humankind, especially as accomplished through the life, suffering, and death of Christ. Atone-ment: “condition of being at one (with others),”

Now read these same verses as translated in the Message:

God Has Set Things Right

         21-24 But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. 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 out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

         25-26 God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public-to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it’s now-this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness. (Romans 3:21-26 MSG)

God wants so much to be with me and you that he patiently surrendered himself for us and reconciled himself to us, pardoned all our errors and mistakes, so that we could be more like Him, in rightness and wisdom and innocence with pleasing gratitude and joy! God is all about love.  Our work is to trust and receive.

Lord and Savior, Father and Mother, dearest Holy One: Thank you for loving me so much – even as I continue act in ways that are offensive to you and separate me from you. Thank you for always bringing me back to your heart.  Help me be more like you. Give me the strength and patience to sacrifice and forgive and offer grace to others, as you have so generously done for me.  Amen.

Written by Patty Forsberg.

If you would like to serve as a member of the Sheridan Lutheran Writing Team and help to write devotions based on the text for the weekend, contact Amy Wagner.

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