Romans 3:1-3 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?
As you might suspect, these questions were important to Jewish members of the Roman church. Similar questions are pertinent in our day. What advantage is there to growing up in church? What is the benefit of being baptized? Does the fact that many baptized church members act like unbelievers mean that God isn’t to be trusted?
There are some benefits to growing up in churches. If there is any place one may go to know God’s Word, it is to churches who honor it and proclaim it. That is a benefit, however, knowing God’s Word and having Bibles in our homes won’t save us from the wrath of God that rightly should fall upon those who sin against God and others.
We also should not think that if we live to love with Jesus that such good deeds can justify sinners before God. We don’t live to love with Jesus in order to receive forgiveness and grace. We live to love with Jesus because we have been justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Because He is our life and righteousness, we give Him access to our bodies and our life in this world so He will reveal His life and love. When someone asks about our hope, let’s be sure not to say it is because we have the Bible, have been baptized, or are church members. Our hope is in our union with Jesus Christ who has justified us through His substitutionary sacrifice and who has given us His righteousness as a gift by grace through the faith He has given us. The reality of our faith being a work of the Holy Spirit is that we live to love with Jesus. Father, we give thanks to You for another day of life to know and love you and to live to love with Jesus. Anoint and fill us with the Holy Spirit, the presence and power of Christ, so that we can love and trust You and love those you put in our paths today, for Your glory.
Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com
