Charles Stanley In Touch Daily Devotional 20th April 2023, Thursday Inspirational Message
In Touch Daily Devotional 20th April 2023 Thursday Message by Dr. Charles Stanley
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TOPIC: Full of Justice and Mercy
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Romans 3:21-26
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Today’s verses and many other Bible passages tell us that God is just. What this communicates is that He’s true to His own principles. It also means that God, who is holy and perfect, cannot be one with a sinner. Instead, “the soul who sins will die” (Ezekiel 18:4). It’s a frightening thought for imperfect people like us, isn’t it?
That’s why our heavenly Father provided a solution for all mankind. Jesus Christ, who was sinless, took our sin upon Himself and died in our place—so that we could be reunited with our Creator. The Lord continues to be just and holy, and we are declared a righteous child of God. As Paul wrote to the Romans, our Father is “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26).
Notice that our righteousness and unity with God has nothing to do with our efforts—it was a gracious and merciful decision made by the Lord. Our good works will not earn the Lord’s favor, because every person inevitably sins. But Jesus’ death made it possible for those who believe in Him to have a relationship with the Creator. In the end, it’s because of God’s justice and mercy that we could be reunited with Him.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Kings 18-19
REFLECT: Because of His great love for us, God made a way for us to know Him personally.
In Touch Daily Devotional 20th April 2023. Charles Stanley is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta and founder of In Touch Ministries, both located in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Stanley’s heart’s desire is to get the gospel to “as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, as clearly as possible, as irresistibly as possible, through the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God.
