The Rest of the Story Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: The Rest of the Story ------------------- Date: 2/23/2001 Keywords: "believe" "faith" "justified" "law" "righteous" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passages*: Romans 2:12-13 12. All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. Romans 3:19-26 19. Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. 21. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24. and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — 26. He did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Questions 1. Where does righteousness come from?   2. How can Christians, who according to V.23 have all sinned, be confident that they will not be condemned to hell?   3. How far does the law go in fostering righteousness?   4. If we can't become righteous by observing the law, what good is the law?   Practical help If you have been following the previous four studies, maybe you're pretty depressed by now. We have seen how obedience to legalistic principles, while not a bad thing in itself, cannot succeed in bringing us into fellowship with God. And we have seen that no matter how well we do it, we still fall under God's condemnation if we are relying on our goodness. Maybe this has brought home your deep frustration with your own personal sin struggles. When you face your most destructive issues, whether it's porn, lust, anger, pride, or whatever, if you face them with the attitude of, "I'm gonna whip this thing or bust," then you'll probably bust. If, on the other hand, you remember who God is, give him glory, and simply accept the truth that there is no righteousness apart from Jesus Christ, then you will be taking the first step in a walk of true faith. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2001 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."