Scripture: Romans 3:21-22 "But now the righteousness of God part from the Law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God to all and on all who believe..."Observation: This phrase, the "righteousness of God," is repeated here twice. It was first mention in 1:17. There Thomas R. Schreiner says that the term means both the effective change that occurs by the Holy Spirit's presence in us and also the declaration of "rightness" that God gives to us based on our faith in Jesus. Do those definitions fit here as well?
I have come to understand them simply as a characteristic of God, meaning that the gospel has revealed exactly how high God's holiness is and exactly how endless God's love, mercy and grace are. In the gospel we see that God's being is infinitely separate and excels ours. His perfection is unsearchable because we are incapable of comprehending it entirely.
But does my definition work? I have to stand by my understanding at this point because the rest of this passage (vs 3:21-28) seems to be defining in more detail the support for what exactly God's righteousness IS.
These SOAPs are getting too long in Romans!
Application: Humility. But how do I do it? And how do I go about changing?
Prayer: Father, I need, as always here also, Your help doing this. I'm drawing water from a tainted well. Please help me draw from the well of Your endless power through the life of Jesus in me. I love You. Amen.
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