21” But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-26 ESV)
“We are saved by grace through faith — indeed, by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. But the means of God’s grace to bring us to faith and grow us in grace are the Word, prayer, and the sacraments. Nothing else we do in the church’s program should detract from these central means of grace; indeed, everything else we do should promote and coalesce with them. Nothing else is more important if we are to display the constancy of the pilgrim life.” – Dr. J. Ligon Duncan
What is saving faith? Biblically, saving faith is a trust in, a dependence upon, a commitment to and a worship of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. All people have faith, but only faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ justifies the sinner.
“Faith is only as good as the object. Faith in worldly religion cannot save the sinner. In listening to the counsel of Mr. Worldly Wiseman, Christian rejects God’s counsel, as given to him by the faithful Evangelist,” explains Dr. Warren Wiersbe.
How may the sinner find deliverance from their great and heavy burden? God has wisely stated in I Corinthians 1:18 that deliverance is found in the Gospel of the Cross. The great burden the Apostle Paul described in Romans 3:9-20 is relieved solely by grace aloe, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.
Scripture says sinful and fallen people are unrighteous and do not understand their sinful condition. They do not seek God but rather turn away from God. They do not do anything sufficient in the sight of God to save themselves. Their speech is filled with moral filth and vulgarity, lies, deceit, sarcasm, and bitter hostility. They are quick to commit pre-meditated murder, destroy whatever is in the way of their goals and desires resulting in pain and suffering. They are driven by their sinful nature to bring strife and conflict in the lives of those they meet.
This is the condition of the fallen sinful and the contents forming the weight and affliction of the great burden which they bear. The only hope for deliverance from the penalty, power and presence of this great and heavy burden of sin is the Word of the Cross; The Gospel of Jesus Christ. This good news brings deliverance from the sinner’s great and heavy burden. It is a deliverance apart from our human works.
Has the burden of your heart rolled away at the truth of the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ on the sinner’s behalf? Trust Him today as your Savior and LORD.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 