Finally some good news...

While reading Romans 3:21-30 this week, I was deeply encouraged by the doctrines of justification and redemption through faith in Christ alone. Paul just spent the first few chapters laying out how messed up we are and our great need for a savior.  “But now,” he explains that God sees the righteousness of Christ when he looks at those who trust in Him, rather than our many failings (v. 21-22). He is the just and the justifier (v. 26). He is the only way. It’s not a flippant “just have faith” or “just believe” – justification came at a HUGE cost, but a cost paid by our Creator, the life of our sinless savior, freely given in our place, so we can be reconciled to Him for eternity. It is something we could not gain by our own merit, ability or keeping the law (v. 27). 

Earlier this year, I was really struggling with loneliness and shame. This all began because the Lord was revealing more of my depravity and sin that I hadn’t really been aware of before. I was really saddened over how prideful and broken some of my thoughts and patterns were. 

I was seeing that I was worse than I realized and, for a long time, I would justify myself when sin was revealed. Rather than repenting and grieving my sin, I would rationalize it away with excuses or my “good deeds.” Almost subconsciously, I would rattle off a list of my morality or compare myself to someone else, etc. (I know, I am cringing too).  

During these months, I started to believe that if people really knew me, they would be disgusted and uninterested.  I had the head knowledge that we are all sinners and that faith is a gift (so that no one may boast), but I still felt a huge amount of pain and shame around my sin. 

I knew this revelation was the Lord’s kindness to draw me closer to His heart, yet I was believing the lies first. He wanted me to rejoice in His gift of Jesus Christ and turn to Him for justification and care. Even still I kept hiding, believing the lies of the enemy — that it would be embarrassing to confess and that I was the only one in this place. 

Finally, I had an undistracted evening with my husband where he asked me how I was “really doing.”  I really wanted to just say, “fine,” and continue on with our night, but I felt the Spirit prompting me to share. I began to unpack all that I had been carrying for the last few months. Much to my surprise (but not really if you know him), my husband met me with a gentle smile and spoke the truth of the gospel… 

It was never you anyway…

It was always Jesus, so turn to Him… 

He is not shocked by you…

God is glorified in your weakness…

I imagine that, like me, many of you are faced with sin that seems too ugly, too unrelatable, too twisted to share. Here is the good news that Romans 3 proclaims: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (v. 23) and Christ came for all people, with no partiality (v. 29-20).  Just like the church that first received this letter, you need to hear that all people are in need of redemption.

This is the gospel good news that Paul was “eager to share” with them. It was the truth that they needed to hear and be reminded of, even after they first believed.  It was the same gospel good news that Landon shared with me that night.  Sitting alone, I was unable to push back on the darkness of the accuser, but when the Spirit gave me strength to share – Landon  was able to remind me of the gospel. This freed me up to rest in truth — I am justified and redeemed because of the generosity of our Holy God. I was able to remember that my works really are just a form of worship for what the Lord has already accomplished, but do nothing to save me.  I stopped trying to justify myself and was able to lean into the redemption that I already have as a believer in Christ. 

So brothers and sisters in Christ, please do not struggle alone. The truths of justification by faith are meant to be proclaimed corporately as we do life together.  The community of believers around us is here to spur us on and remind us that the work is finished when we are faced with new realities of our sin. Let’s “speak the gospel” to ourselves and others when we are faced with the reality of our brokenness. We can do this by remembering and verbalizing the precious truths found here in Romans 3 to one another:

• All have sinned & no one is righteous 
• He has freely given righteousness to us through the sacrifice of His son, Jesus Christ, who is without blemish
• We are made righteous and receive salvation through faith 
• Faith is a gift from the Spirit – we cannot do anything to deserve or earn it

When talking to a friend this often sounds like, “Yes, that’s really hard. I am sorry that you are facing the heartache of your sin.  Remember, that each time we recognize our sin, it’s God’s mercy to draw us closer to him,” or “You were never lovable because of your perfection or performance. You are lovable because you are God’s creation and have been made righteous through faith in Him alone,” or to the weary soul, “I know it is exhausting to be on the hamster wheel of performance, but remember we need Jesus because we have all fallen short. He died so that you can rest and have freedom in His completed work.”

We get to repent, rejoice, worship and serve because our righteous Lord has graciously redeemed us through faith in Christ alone. 

Whitney Sheets is a member at Redeemer Lubbock, where she’s served with everything from greeting to leading Gospel Communities and supporting Goers on Advocacy Teams. She is a wife and mom, who currently uses her M.A. in Social Work to volunteer with and support the ministry of Parkridge.