Houston We Have a Problem - A Sin Problem

“Houston we have a problem.” If you have seen the movie Apollo 13 then you will recognize that quote. In the movie it is the first response from Tom Hanks after things have just gone terribly wrong in their spacecraft in route to the moon. Not only was the mission in jeopardy, the very lives of the crew were suddenly hanging in the balance. The rest of the movie focuses on the attempt to find a way to save the lives of the men in that spaceship. Well, according to Romans 3:9-18 we also have a problem.

The problem we have in the mission of life is sin. Romans 3:23 states clearly this problem “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Houston we have a problem. As I previously stated the Book of Romans is a bad news – good news story. This morning as we look further into Romans we find some really good news.

After Paul told us that all of us are sinners who fall short of God’s glory he then goes on to explain the good news. Let’s expand that reading a little.

Romans 3:21-26
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,  whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Paul gives us several facts about the manner by which we can be justified by God. Let us digress a moment and look at two theological terms which are paramount in the understanding of the Christian life, justification and sanctification. Justification is a one-time act performed by God and God alone by which He declares us righteous. What happens is that when by faith we trust Jesus for our salvation God puts upon us the righteousness of Christ. Thus when God sees us it as if we were just as holy as Christ. This act does not literally cause us to live out life without sinning. The term sanctification is used to describe the rest of our lives here on earth in which through the Holy Spirit living in us we are changing. We do have a part in the work of sanctification and it will be a fight, as our old nature does not die easily. This explains why we so often slip back into old habits and sins. But the truly saved who have repented will recognize the sins and confess them following the pattern of 1 John 1:9 which says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Let us now return to Romans. We find in the end of Romans chapter 3 Paul explaining this work of justification. Verse 21 says that our righteousness is separate from the law. Romans 3:21 “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it.”

Next Paul tells us that this comes through faith in Christ. Romans 3:22 states it is “...the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” Notice that it is through believing in Jesus not just saying you believe in God. There are a lot of people in the world who believe in God but reject Jesus. James 2:19 reminds us of this saying “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

In Paul’s day the Jews tended to think salvation was just for them and Paul squashes that idea. Romans 3:22 tells us that “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ [is] for all who believe. For there is no distinction.”

This righteousness of God through faith in Christ, which we just read about above, is by God’s grace. Romans 3:24 tells us that we “are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Salvation is in no way a work we do.

The gift of salvation cost us nothing. But it did not come free; it came at a great cost to God. Romans 3:24-25 speaks of the cost. We are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood.” The word propitiation as we read of here means that something had to satisfy God’s standard of holiness. The price of that propitiation was the blood of Christ. The author of Hebrews reminds us in Hebrews 9:22 that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” It was the blood of Christ that paid for our salvation.

Paul goes on to remove any idea we might have about who deserves the credit for our salvation. Romans 3:25-26 tells us “…this was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” God is the justifier.

This must bring us to a point of complete humility as we look at our salvation experience. As we wrap up chapter 4 we see several things.

Romans 3:27-31
Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.  For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.  Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.  Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

First of all we have no boast in our salvation for it is not our work. Secondly salvation is completely by faith. But we also see that salvation is not restricted to the Jews. Salvation is open to all peoples of the world. And last we see that even though the law does not and cannot save us, it does have a purpose and that purpose is to reveal to us our sinfulness and lead us to the knowledge of our need for a savior.

This is good news my friends. It means that we have a sure hope in Christ Jesus. It means that when we cry out to God having finally discovered our need to repent, we can be confident that we can be saved in spite of ourselves. Yes, this is good news. Will you believe? If not you have a problem and it’s a problem they won’t be able to fix in Houston. The sure hope is in Christ. Thank God for that.