“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.” Romans 3:21-22
Though the law of God reveals our sins and condemns us all, there is a way for us sinful human beings to be counted righteous and be acceptable in God’s sight. God tells us of this righteousness in the Bible. It is the righteousness of God He imputes to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross.
O gracious and merciful God, forgive my sins and count me righteous in Your eyes through faith in Christ Jesus, Your Son and my Savior. Amen.
“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:19-20
Though many believe they can be pleasing and acceptable to God by keeping His commandments, an honest look at our lives in the light of God’s Word reveals our utter sinfulness and inability to please God or be accepted by Him. The only way to be accepted and justified by God is through faith in Christ Jesus, God the Son, and His perfect obedience to God’s commandments and His innocent sufferings and death for our sins.
Your law shows my sins and failures, O Lord. It condemns me to death and hell. Grant that I hear and believe Your gospel promises of forgiveness and life eternal through faith alone in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for my sins. Amen.
“The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just.” Proverbs 3:33
Though most are blind to this truth, the curse and condemnation of the LORD rests on the house of those who do not fear, love, and trust in the LORD God who made them and redeemed them. But the blessing of the LORD is upon the house of those who repent of their sinful ways and look to God for mercy and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
Grant that I repent of my evil ways, O LORD, and look to You for mercy in the atoning sacrifice of the Son, Jesus Christ. In His name, I pray. Amen.
“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33
Jesus had just told His disciples of the persecution they would face for faithfully teaching His Word. As Jesus was hated and persecuted for calling upon all to repent and look to Him for forgiveness and life, His disciples would be persecuted for their witness regarding Jesus as the Son of God and the only way to be spared in God’s judgment. While it would be easy to shrink back and not confess our faith in Jesus, He promises to confess us as His own before the Father if we confess Him as our Savior and Lord, but He warns that He will deny us as His own if we deny Him as our Savior.
Dear Lord Jesus, grant me the courage to openly confess You as my God and Savior even when facing persecution for speaking the truth. Keep me from shrinking back and denying Your name. Amen.
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.” Matthew 10:16-17
When Jesus chose the 12 apostles and sent them out to preach the gospel of the kingdom, He told them He was sending them out as sheep amid wolves, meaning they would encounter opposition and persecution — being delivered up to councils and scourged in synagogues. Jesus told them to exercise the wisdom of serpents but to be harmless as doves — to avoid unnecessary exposure to such persecution but, at the same time, to be as innocent and harmless as doves. Today, too, those who follow Jesus and share His Word will encounter persecution from the world and from erring churches and their leaders. Believers are to be wise and not seek to stir up opposition and persecution but to be honest and faultless in presenting the truth.
Give me wisdom, O God, to avoid needless confrontation with the world and erring churches, but keep me faithful and uncompromising in my witness to the truth of Your Word, calling upon all to repent of their sinful and erring ways and to look to Jesus and His cross in faith for pardon and forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
