June 23 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Romans 3:19-31:

¹⁹Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
²⁰Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
²¹But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
²²Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
²⁴Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
²⁶To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
²⁷Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
²⁸Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
²⁹Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
³⁰Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
³¹Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Devotional

There can be no peace between God and man, nor between man and man without righteousness. God is a righteous God. The psalmist says, "Righteous art Thou, O Lord and upright are thy judgments. Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous (Hebrew: righteousness), and very faithful (He­brew: faithfulness)." Again, "The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works."

Man by nature is unrighteous, sinful; as such he cannot have fellowship with God. But Christ, God's righteous servant, by making his soul an offering for sin, and bearing our iniquities justifies the ungodly. He declares them righteous. He does that on the basis that He made full satisfaction for all our sins. "For God made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Now all that believe in him are justified from all things. "Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." In Christ "righteousness and peace have kissed each other." "The work of righteousness shall be peace." "And the fruit of right­eousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." Thus "the mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness." Righteousness and peace! We owe both to the Prince of Peace, who is our righteousness, and our peace, "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

Prayer

O righteous Father, Thou art our Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Thee. We come unto Thee as sinners; but we come in the name of Christ Thy Son, trusting in his merits. We would praise Thy name for the full and free salva­tion in Christ. We thank Thee that He was made unto us wis­dom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, that in him we are perfectly righteous, and therefore we are also at peace with Thee. We pray Thee that the peace of God, which passeth all understanding may keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Ps. 119:137f.; 145:17; Rom. 4:5; Isa. 53:10f; 2 Cor. 5:21; Acts 13:39; Rom. 5:1; Ps. 85:10; Isa. 32:17; James 3:18; Ps. 72:3; Isa. 9:6; Jer. 23:6; Eph. 2:14; Col. 3:15.

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