““Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”” Romans 4:7-8 NIV
Today is Romans 4.
Blessed is also Happy in the Greek!
Happy- “Being in the enjoyment of agreeable sensations from the possession of good” (Webster’s 1828)
God has done great things for us! When we come to Jesus accepting His salvation, our sins are forgiven and covered. God does not count our sins against us any more!
The punishment we deserve we do not receive. Jesus took that upon Himself. We are given a blessed life— the life that Jesus gives us. We possess His goodness. We know that He is good to us and all that He does is good. Even when we experience troubles, we can experience His happiness.
““Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”” Romans 4:7-8 NIV
Today is Romans 4.
Blessed is also Happy in the Greek!
Happy- “Being in the enjoyment of agreeable sensations from the possession of good” (Webster’s 1828)
God has done great things for us! When we come to Jesus accepting His salvation, our sins are forgiven and covered. God does not count our sins against us any more!
The punishment we deserve we do not receive. Jesus took that upon Himself. We are given a blessed life— the life of Jesus. We possess His goodness. We know that He is good to us and all that He does is good. Even when we experience troubles, we can experience His happiness.
“What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”” Romans 4:3 NIV
Today is Romans 4.
Abraham was living an ordinary life. He was working his job and living close to his family. Then one day God spoke to Him. He told Him to “Go.” God then spoke to him a promise.
Abraham did something extraordinary. He believed! He believed the Word of God. He believed the Promises were true. Out of that belief, he acted — he obeyed. When Abraham believed God “credited to him as righteousness.” Righteousness is “Purity of heart and rectitude of life; conformity of heart and life to the divine law.” (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary) It is right standing with God.
When Abraham listened to what God was saying and believed God. He was in right standing with God. He entered a relationship with God that came through his faith.
It wasn’t all the good things that Abraham did that established this relationship of right standing with God. It was when he simply believed.
God blessed Abraham for his faith and God made him a blessing. Many years later, Jesus was born out of his lineage. This alone was a miracle for a man whose wife had been unable to have a child.
God is speaking to us today. He desires for us to take Him at His Word and believe what He says. Jesus came as the living Word (expression of God) that proclaims to us God’s desire for relationship. We too can believe. Our belief in Jesus and what He did for us on the cross and then raising from the dead places us in right standing. It makes us righteous.
Relationship with God does not start with our good deeds. It starts with our faith in His Word that we hear.
“he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:26 NIV
Today is Romans 3.
The Cross of Jesus is the very place that all of God’s goodness and love towards us meets with all of His justice, righteousness, and truth.
God is perfect. He is perfect in His love. We cannot divide off some of it, or say God was not loving here or there. Because He is love. It is who He is. God is completely righteous we cannot divide off a part of Him and say over here God was not righteous. He is righteous. It is who He is.
God is just! He cannot be anything but just. He is fair and equitable. Our injustice, or choices to sin, cannot be compatible with Him. His love and His goodness requires that His justice must prevail.
This is why the Cross of Jesus is so important to us. God’s perfect love was fulfilled in the Cross. Because He loved us so much and He is completely just. He provided what we could never accomplish on our own — the payment for our sin. The One who is just became our justifier. His sacrifice satisfied His justice.
We deserved death. But instead we receive life when we receive Jesus!
Your Love 