We want to be on the safe side. No one wants to be a loser. But there is no guarantee that if you are safe this time, you will be safe the next time. You just have to take a chance. The good news is God is on our side. It means you are on the safe side. You will win today and you will win tomorrow. This is a promise. You don’t have to worry or be afraid that you are in a losing business. The resource to back you up is available at the moment when you need it. God thought about the best and he worked that out for you. Since this is God’s plan there is nothing you can do about it; all you have to do is to claim his power by faith. We will examine 3 important concepts: salvation, righteousness, and faith.
“Saving Private Ryan”: Paul was not ashamed to identify with Jesus’ death and resurrection. He was free indeed! My son Sam Lincoln attends public school. He is not ashamed to pray before lunch in the cafeteria every day. In other words, Paul was proud about Jesus’ death and resurrection. One man is very proud about beating his friends in video games. But he is not proud about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Paul gave a personal reason why he was not ashamed but proud of Jesus’ death and resurrection. It is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes (16). “Salvation” is a noun; the verb is “saved.” The Greek word used here is meaning “saving power” (salvation). Salvation also means healing. In a nutshell it tells us that Jesus’ death and resurrection has saving and healing power; power to save and heal. I want to mention 6 things you can be healed of today: Demoniac healing, emotional healing, psychological healing, healing power from addiction to video games, physical healing, and finally, spiritual healing. Spiritual healing is the main focus of this passage. How do these things really work?
You become a champion: Paul explains theologically how this saving power works. In Jesus’ death and resurrection the righteousness of God is revealed (17). The Greek nuance for the word “righteousness” is derived from the judicial system. Let’s say you go to court and the judge finds you guilty and you are sentenced for life. At that moment, your older brother shows up and pleads with the judge. “I am willing to go to jail in place of my brother. I want him to go free.” What would the judge say? The judge cannot say no because his duty is to see that the guilty person has paid the price in order to make him right in the eyes of the law. In a similar way, God paid the price for the guilty party and thereby met his righteous demand. This is the reason Jesus’ death and resurrection is such good news for us all. No amount of good works we do can save us. We cannot save ourselves. God has to save us. Even if we are willing to die it will not save us. It is only by faith and it is grace.
Now those who accept Jesus’ death and resurrection by faith are to be called “righteous.” Abraham believed God’s promise and he counted it to him as righteousness (Gen 15:6). When Jesus called Peter John and others he wanted to make him fishers of men. But in truth he wanted to make them righteous, who will do God’s will. Righteousness is the character of God. God is righteous if no one in this world is righteous. In other words God is making us to be righteous like him. We are making a break through here by becoming like God in his image. It means we will do the right thing. God is good, he is just, and he loves. In short he does the right thing; and we will do the same thing as God. When we accept the Gospel, our character is formed. We will wear a designer clothing of the righteousness of God. When we are clothed with the righteousness of God, we will behave more like God in our daily living. We conduct in this fashionable manner because the Spirit of God is constantly working in us. Moreover, when we are weak and need help, the Spirit of God help us to pray for strength. To tell the truth, we have the secret of life. We are champions of life. We love to play video games. We also like to watch soccer or NBA. But the more we allow the Spirit to have hands on work in us, the easier we are able to get rid of the junk like addiction to video games and the like. This is real life. Those who are led by the Spirit really live. And I tell you what, we will live eternally.
The Gospel is a mystery. It is the power of God to save us from all misery when we believe. God meets his own righteous demand so that he can make us righteous persons who will live to do the right thing now and for eternity. Know for sure that it is not what we do for God and others that will save us, but only faith and it is grace.
