Romans 3:23

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23 ESV). The general context in which our verse is found is about the righteousness of God coming through faith in Jesus Christ. Even though the Prophets bear witness of it, it is set apart from the Law. It is a righteousness we all need to receive because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It is by grace that we are justified (declared or made righteous in the sight of God) through the redemption (the action of saving or being saved from sin) that is in Jesus Christ, whom God put forward as a propitiation (the removal of wrath by the offering of a gift) by his blood, to be received by faith.

There is not a single one of us that can measure up to the glory of God. Every one of us falls short because each one of us has and will continue to sin. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10 ESV). “As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”” (Romans 3:10-12 NKJV). Without God there is no hope because there is no one who seeks after God; no one who does good. Without God choosing us and adopting us into his family, we would forever be bound by sin in the domain of darkness.

Because of our sin we all fall short of the glory of God. We are like the archer who misses the mark or the runner who fails to place in a race, we fail to meet God’s perfect standard. God made us for his glory that we would live for his glory by loving, trusting, thanking and obeying him. Instead of loving him we dishonor him through neglect and instead love other things more. Instead of trusting him we dishonor him by trying to find hope in other things. Instead of thanking him we dishonor him by ignoring his generosity. Instead of obeying him we dishonor him by disregarding his instruction for godly and fruit bearing living.

Prayer

Father, I was spiritually dead with no desire to seek after God, bound by sin and serving the god of this world, but you came to me and chose to adopt me into your family as a son. Through Jesus Christ, you provided for everything that I needed to obtain eternal life. Our verse makes it clear that I have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but thanks be to God I have been set free from the bondage of sin, having been forgiven, to live with peace and joy in my heart. Thank you for the gift of salvation.