The 3 Rs - A Basic Education

Back in the day, the basics of a good education were summed in the quaint (if grammatically incorrect) 3 Rs – Reading, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmetic.  In the same way we need to make sure we are well schooled in the basics of our faith.  Our professor is the Apostle Paul and our textbook is from the book of Romans.

Romans 8:1-2

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death

Things to think about:

·      Our 3 Rs are Requirement, Redemption, and Relationship.  Hold on to the end and you may even get a bonus R!

·      Our verse above is like our diploma – it states the end product of the gospel.  But to appreciate it fully, we need to go back to the beginning to better understand why this is such good news.

Requirement

·      You will be familiar with these verses but sometimes familiarity desensitizes us to the magnitude of a basic truth:

o   Romans 3:23 – All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

o   Romans 6: 23 - The wages of sin is death

·      A price must be paid and we are woefully inadequate to pay it

o   Romans 8:3-4 – And so He condemned sin in sinful man in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us

o   but how did He do this?

Redemption

·      Romans 8:3 – for what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering

·      Romans 5:8 – For God demonstrates His love for us in this, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us

o   The requirement was fulfilled - not by us but for us

o   Romans 3:24 – and we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus

o   Romans 6:23 – but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

Relationship

·      Romans 8:14-17 – Because those who are being led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear again but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by Him, we cry, “Abba, Father”.  The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are God’s children we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may share in His glory.

Bonus R – Responsibility

·      Romans 8:12 – therefore we have an obligation, but it is not to the sinful nature

o   Romans 6:18 – You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness

o   Paul ties it together in Ephesians 2:8-10 – For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith – and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.