Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
The greatest blessing anyone can receive in a lifetime comes when he or she believes in Jesus. Jesus is the grand theme of the bible. He is the way, the truth and the life. True blessing in life begins with Jesus. He must be the focus of our life. He is our Saviour appropriated by faith. This is the gist of Apostle Paul’s thought presented in this text.
Romans 3:21-22a But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them …
This cure is “by faith of Jesus Christ”. It is a cure that comes when the heart of man is willing to yield himself to receive the prescription for this cure. All who believe in the work done by Jesus Christ when He was upon earth shall be saved. In a nutshell, this cure is given to all and effectual for all who put their faith in Jesus Christ. While Jesus was upon earth, He kept the law of God perfectly on our behalf and was crucified on the cross shedding His blood to wash away our sins and finally died to pay the penalty for our sins. By faith in what Jesus Christ had done, man find salvation. This is the righteousness that comes to man without having him to do the impossible task of keeping the law.
The law of God showed to Israel how inadequate they were in meeting the standard of God’s righteousness. How they failed miserably. Indeed, when we look at the Ten Commandments, it reminds us we are sinners needing our Saviour. Apostle Paul concluded rightly the function of the law, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24) It leads us to Jesus Christ, the One who would fulfil all righteousness on our behalf on the cross.
1 Kings 17:1-7 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. 2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. 5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. 7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
The last revealing characteristic of depraved men, the Apostle Paul observed, is that they have “no fear of God before their eyes”. The fear of God leads a man to depart from evil (Pro. 16:6). The fear of God leads him to hate evil, pride and arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth (Pro. 8:13). To fear God is to understand that God judges evil and the evil man cannot escape the wrath of God. God would come after him. He fears to offend God who is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29)!
This world has failed to secure that most elusive commodity called “peace”. The dictionary meaning of “peace” describes the normal, non-warring condition of a nation, group of nations or the world, a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations and the normal freedom from civil commotion and violence of a community. Peace is described a state of tranquillity and serenity, a state or condition conducive to, proceeding from, or characterized by tranquillity. This world has yet seen true peace. War characterised all the history of mankind.
The Apostle Paul truthfully concluded that man’s wisdom is at best lacking – he “is gone out of the way”. And making for himself an identity outside his Creator is simply impossible. Can the clay say to the potter how it is to be shaped? Impossible.
Matthew 24:26-35 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
God has never willed that men accomplish His will by sinful means. Doing evil will not bring forth good. An corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit but a good tree will bring forth good fruit. It has not been the Apostle Paul’s mode of doing the gospel work by evil means. And yet, there are those who charge him of doing the gospel work by unlawful means. God forbid! It was a false accusation against the Apostle Paul. If he sins against God, he, likewise, will face God’s judgement! God sense of moral justice is not blurred even if he purportedly is doing God’s work. He must do so lawfully otherwise he faces God’s just judgement.