“A Gift Available To All” (Romans 3: 23 – 24, HCSB) by Carley Evans

We are all fallen in sin; we are all freely justified in grace.

Sounds too simple to be true, says Paul. But “there is no distinction.” Through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s righteousness is available to all — whether Jew or Greek, male or female, freeman or slave. Everyone’s redemption comes “through faith in His blood” (Romans 3: 25) for God the Father declares Jesus and “the one who has faith in Jesus” as righteous. (Romans 3: 26)

Since salvation is so simple, Paul asks, “Where then is boasting?” and responds, “It is excluded.” (Romans 3: 27)

Salvation does not come to us via “works of the law,” but through faith in Jesus’ blood. (Romans 3: 28, 29)

Paul reminds us, “Now to the one who works, pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous, his faith is credited for righteousness.” (Romans 4: 4 – 5)

God owes us nothing; He gives us redemption, salvation, justification, righteousness not as payment but as gift.

“Accomplished Only Once” (1 Peter 3: 18, ESV) by Carley Evans

Christ suffers once, put to death in the flesh for our sins. He is the Righteous One. We are the unrighteous. Christ never suffers again, but remains alive in the Spirit.

Note who suffers: Christ. Note how many times He suffers: Once. Note: Though He dies in the flesh, He lives in the Spirit. Note the location of the Spirit: In us. Note the location of Christ: At the right hand of God the Father where He always lives to intercede for us. Note the One who dies: Christ is the righteous. Note those for whom He dies: We are the unrighteous. Note: We do not die for Him; He dies for us.

Note: We have no need to add to Christ’s work. Jesus, on the Cross, proclaims: “It is accomplished.”

“Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit.”

“By His Death” (Proverbs 14: 32, ESV) by Carley Evans

Solomon, many years before Jesus comes to earth to die to save us, writes: “The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing, but the righteous finds refuge in His death.” Now, the Holy Spirit may very well not mean this as I take it, but this is my view of this verse.

The wicked is crushed by his own iniquity, whereas the righteous is delivered of his iniquity by the death of Jesus Christ. Though on the surface, it appears Solomon is referring to the death of the wicked, I think the Holy Spirit is pointing ahead of Solomon to the crucifixion.

The righteous finds refuge not in the death of the wicked man, but in the death of his Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.