R.E.S.T. in the salvation that God has provided in Jesus and use all the gifts of the Holy Spirit that the Father has given you to spread the Good News.
Paul emphasizes the universal offer of salvation.
After their return from Babylon, the Israelites confused righteousness with a strict adherence to the Law as recorded in the Pentateuch. Indeed, the Jewish religious leaders added numerous amendments to the Law to ensure that no one would inadvertently break it. Zealous obedience to the Law was equated with righteousness. Yet mere external compliance to a set of rules did not please the Lord. What God wanted was repentant, humbled hearts that truly worshiped Him. He wanted to be the God of their hearts and minds, and the center of their devotion.
On the one hand, the Gentiles did not pursue a right relationship with their Creator, so they had been given over to all kinds of evil. On the other hand, the Jews through external obedience to the Law and their traditions were attempting to justify themselves before God. Both failed.
Jesus is the only One who can stand before the glorious God; He is the only One who is truly righteous. Remarkably, He has offered us a way out of our slavery to sin. By placing our faith and trust in Him, we can be declared righteous. We can have a righteousness that has nothing to do with our own works but instead relies on Jesus’ sinless life and His sacrificial death for our sins.
The Lord forgives us and declares us righteous because of our identification by faith with the righteousness of His Son. Through Jesus, we can finally be released from the guilt of our sins. Not only can we approach the Holy One in praise and thankfulness, but we can do God’s will.
Romans 10:11-13
11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
16 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.
Isaiah 28:16
7“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.
Jeremiah 17:7
33 As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
Romans 9:33
9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Acts 15:9
22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
Romans 3:22
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
1 Timothy 2:5
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
Ephesians 1:7
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