Righteousness through faith
But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.
Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Reflection
Put your ego away, it will do you no good here. But we seem to be caught in our own self. We consider the good that we do to have some effect on our placement with ourselves, one another and God. We expect some reward for being good. Here we need to put the ego aside.
Even if we thought we were able to uphold every point of the law, that would only distance ourselves from what God desires for each one of us. We have been born into sin which separates us from God, but God has graciously given us himself in Jesus to take on our sin for us. It's not about our ego, but about God's action in Jesus that fulfills the law. Through faith in what God has done we can live anew. Through this faith in God we become children of God and respond to the law with the knowledge that Jesus has fulfilled the law.
Now, instead of being burdened by keeping the law we live lives of joy and freedom to keep the law in response to what God has done for us. Put your ego aside and live fulfilled as a disciple of Jesus. Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Jesus, as I ponder what you have accomplished and the love you have shown; in joy I strive to keep your law and follow your command. Thanks for the freedom to live joyously and boldly in the face of my sin. --- Amen
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