December 7, Day 341

Today's Reading

We turn now to Romans, which is perhaps the deepest book in the Bible. It opens with clarity that the created order is enough proclamation for people to believe in and seek God. Instead of seeking Him, humans have turned away, growing increasingly perverse as we walk the other direction. In the end, we are all guilty of sin and deserving of its penalty. The Good News (Gospel) is that we don't have to pay for our own failure. In fact, we can't afford the price.

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. (Romans 3:20-25 NLT)