BELIEVING THE LIE

 

Romans 3:20-26
            What was the first lie?  “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman.  “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4, 5).  Eve believed the lie, gave the fruit to Adam who also ate and plunged God’s creation under the curse.
            That same lie is alive and well in our society and culture today.  People know good and evil.  And when I ask them if they think they will go to heaven almost every one of them answers affirmatively.  “Why?” I ask them.  “Because I am a good person.  At least I am better than most.  I’ve never killed anyone.  I am faithful to my wife.  I love my kids.  I’m a good neighbor.  I do the things God would want me to do.” 
            Ah, the lie.  You will know good and evil.  If you are good then God will accept you.  If you are better than most people you will get into heaven.  You don’t need all that religion and church stuff because you are a good person.  I think most people in our society believe that lie.  They think they are living according to God’s rules well enough.
            The truth.  “No one will be declared righteous in [God’s] sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin” (Romans 3:20).  God’s law is given to show us our sin.  It is not a means of gaining God’s approval.  It is impossible for people who live under the curse to satisfy or please God through good works.  “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23).
            So if we are incapable of meeting the requirements of God’s law, then what is our hope?  “But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known…This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans 3:21, 22).  Righteousness cannot come from inside us.  We are not good by nature and there is nothing we can do to make ourselves good for the purpose of justifying ourselves in God’s sight by “being good enough!” 
            The righteousness we need to satisfy God’s holiness can only come from someone else.  It comes from God himself.  “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood…” (Romans 3:25).  God gave his Son, Jesus Christ.  God sacrificed his Son to atone for (pay the penalty for) our sin.  A substitution took place.  The sins of all those who put their faith in Jesus were placed on him and paid for by him and the righteousness of God the Son was placed on those who have faith. 
            This is the only hope of salvation.  This is the only hope of satisfying the righteousness and justice of God.  Yet our society continues to believe the lie.  They are bound up by the lie and cannot change themselves.  What is their hope?  The word of God.  The gospel.  The good news must be proclaimed over and over again and the Holy Spirit will use the word of God to break the bondage of those held prisoner by the lie.  That is the only hope.  It is the only hope for our friends and neighbors.  It is the only hope for our nation.