Winners and losers

Earlier this week I spoke to our son and commented about how proud we are of the job he and his wife are doing in raising our youngest granddaughter. She is in middle school and involved in FFA. She raises and shows hogs. She is getting really good at it, too. We were able to watch her in the Showmanship part of the competition over the weekend. She and her hog Skittles won Reserve Champion Purebred at the Florida State Fair. Couldn't be prouder of her.

It was an eventful weekend for our other granddaughter, too. She turned 18 while at a national cheer competition. They did great as a squad finishing 9th in the nation and of course, we wish we could have been there but someone had to watch their 4 Siberian huskies. Want to guess who that was?

I share these because both our son and his wife along with our daughter and her husband are doing a wonderful job of raising their kids. Now there is another grandchild and he is the oldest and is our grandson. He has decided to be a firefighter like his uncle. So he is in school right now and working hard both in and out of school.

As Elaine and I were talking today, we were reflecting on what our kids and their spouses have done in raising these kids. They have and are doing a wonderful job. Yet the world they are living in and will be living in, is one that is unlike the one we grew up in. We are all aware of the things that are happening not only in our communities but also in our nation and the world.

Now I want to make something very clear at this point. Our kids were and are not now perfect and neither are our grandkids. Nobody's are and none ever will be and we know it as much as we would hate to admit it. We have all learned as scripture reminds us in Romans 3:10b-12 that-

10 ..“None is righteous, no, not one;

11     no one understands; no one seeks for God.

12  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

These are very important words from the Lord. Paul is guided by the Holy Spirit to advise those Christians in Rome and us today that regardless of what we might think of ourselves or others we are not righteous. Man doesn't understand and often doesn't even seek the Lord. No matter how hard we might even try, we will fall short of God's standard.

In verse 10, Paul refers to being righteous. Actually, he is saying that we are not righteous. The word he uses for righteous is dikalos and has the idea of what is expected who sets the rules. That is God, so what does that mean? That no person can be right with God because they cannot meet the standards God has provided in the law and in the character He exhibits. Furthermore, Paul says that they aren't even trying and are turning away from God. I would encourage you to read the rest of the 3rd chapter of Romans. The description given by Paul of people is not very becoming of mankind.

After you read that, then you will find that God’s righteousness comes through faith. As you then read in verses 21-26

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

In verse 21, the word Paul uses for righteousness is dikalosune and thus the righteousness of God is found only through faith in Jesus Christ. This is only done through repentance and the receiving of Jesus Christ by faith.

No matter how hard any of us might try we can never be right with God unless we do it God's way. Man, in his natural, fallen condition, tends rather to accept his own set of standards, creating his own righteousness which is not righteousness at all and does not satisfy God.

As you read today's blog you need to ask yourself a question? Am I trying to be righteous my way by winning the accolades of man in competitions, or am I righteous because of my faith In Jesus Christ? I think you all know the answer to the question.

In God's Grace,

Elbert Nasworthy