A police officer rescued a deer whose head had become lodged within a discarded light globe. The officer’s first attempt to pull the plastic object off the frightened animal’s head failed, although it came free during a second try. Officials estimate that the animal had been caught with the globe on its head for at least one full day!
Similar to the deer’s helpless predicament, Paul says that we are poor, sinful, lost creatures, incapable of getting ourselves out of our own dilemma. He notes that our hearts are trapped in sin—all of us are born under sin’s power and “fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:9,23).
In Romans 3:10-18, the apostle quotes from six Old Testament passages revealing that we’re born alienated from God, don’t naturally seek Him, have turned away from Him, and don’t have a true view of His greatness. Without God, we’re utterly helpless and can’t rescue ourselves.
But in view of humanity’s helplessness, God stepped in and provided a perfect rescue by His grace through our faith in Jesus His Son (Romans 3:24). Jesus alone provided the perfect sacrifice God required, and His death for us on the cross satisfied the demands of sin—freeing us from the grip of sin and making a restored relationship with God possible (Romans 3:25).
You and I no longer need to remain trapped in sin. God saw our hopeless condition and extended grace, love, and mercy in order to restore us to Himself. We’re rescued and “made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes” (Romans 3:21-22).
Are you trapped by your sin? Receive God’s gift of salvation today through faith in Jesus!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Samuel 1:1-28
More:
Read Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:18 and consider why Jesus came to us.
Next:
How can you be set free and made right with God?
Gary Shultz on March 19, 2017 at 6:30 am
Hi Marvin: When you review these things it brings us to remember we have no power, ability, or authority to make the quantum leap from the earthly to the heavenly. Even as a boy I seemed to grasp that we are separated from God, and to continue without a commitment was a risk I did not want to take. As God did for many in the past, He did for me then for what I knew I was lacking, that was a commitment of belief and surrender. Hey, I didn’t understand everything, but I did know I was without what I needed. So I asked God to do whatever it took to get me to where I needed to be. He did that, I have had that peace that His part of the bargain was complete. My part had just begun and I did not do very well for a long time. Sometimes going back and re-correcting that may be I didn’t do this religious thing right. I was the wayward, He was the school master. I always felt like I was near impending doom because I could not stay on track with what I was supposed to do. So I lived life in a cold ungracious pattern until I had some more miles and found out God was not waiting to clobber me. He actually wanted to be with me just like in the garden to walk and have fellowship. That took some time to develop, that was because of me, but God was oh, so gracious and patient with me. I learned surprise of all surprises, He, the God of all the universe was willing to go long with me. Even though the commitment had been made years earlier, it took some time to feel comfortable with a Heavenly Father, to have experienced love and patience. Because of His love, I was able to love. Thanks Marvin
sjames46 on March 19, 2017 at 10:47 am
Thanks for sharing about your journey with God. I can relate to thinking God was just waiting for me to mess up and then punish/”clobber” me. I remember, as a child, that giving my heart to God meant He would send me to a far away place when I grew up, meaning be a missionary to a distant foreign country. And that He was a demanding, unsympathetic, powerful Being. I liked how you shared that God was patient with you as you learned who He was, and that He loved you.
sandy229 on March 19, 2017 at 11:47 am
God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for atonement or reconciliation with separated mankind. Fellowship with a Holy God could only be realized through atoning for the sins that separated mankind from God and His covenant promises. It is the shed blood of Christ, that ultimately satisfied the requirements of God’s justice. God’s judgement was fully put upon Christ, the blameless sacrifice, for all sins both past and present. It is through faith in the blood of Christ that mankind is justified in God’s eyes. The blood of Christ then also becomes the bond that joins people to God and entitles them to God’s covenant provisions. The blood of Christ is forever the only means of right relationship with the holy God.
(John 6:53,54 / 1 Corinthians 10:16)
32leaflets on March 20, 2017 at 3:35 am
I find myself continuously fornicating. I go to the Lord and pray for forgiveness but I go back again. I want to stop. With what I’m doing I feel like I’ll go to hell. Someone help me.
twincitiesjim on March 20, 2017 at 2:33 pm
Leaflets, I have just a couple thoughts after your comment. One is that if you have truly accepted Jesus Christ into your life you are saved. Your sin can no longer keep you from your place in heaven. The devil likes to tell us lies and we sometimes believe them. Feeling like you will go to hell for your sin if you have accepted Jesus as your savior is the devil speaking lies to you. Rebuke him and turn from your sin. Although your place in heaven is secured through giving your heart to Jesus, it does not excuse your sin and there will be consequences. Praying for forgiveness is a good start, but true repentance means turning from that sin and this is what God desires for us. Ask God to help you. Ask him to bring people into your life to assist you. Ask him to put barriers between you and these paths that lead to your fornication. Ask him to reveal to you the areas that need to be dealt with in your life that keep bringing you back to these activities. Deliverance ministries or prayer healing/counseling ministries can help greatly with these types of problems. Addiction counseling could also help – if you find yourself unable to stop doing something that you know is wrong, I believe that this is indicative of addictive behavior. I am not an expert on these things, but have had some experience in those areas and I urge you to search out resources to help you determine if it is addictive behavior and to find strategies to address the root of the problem. I hope this helps and I will pray for you.