Today’s devotion comes from Romans 3:19-20.
“19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:19-20.
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The Scripture that follows today’s Scripture goes to great length and detail to teach that justification comes by faith, not by the works of the Law. “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” Romans 3:28. But, before it does, today’s Scripture first emphasizes: “by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight”.
Man has a natural tendency to want to prove his own self-righteousness through his own virtues and the strength of his own willpower to obey the Law. We see it in the church at Galatia, and we see it today in our own churches. Paul admonished the Galatians: “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” Galatians 3:1-5.
Like today’s Scripture, Paul emphasized “by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight” in the Book of Galatians. Paul figuratively pounds the table in emphasizing this point. “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.” Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.” Galatians 3:10-12.
So, today, before we rush into the rest of Romans that emphasizes justification by faith, let us pause and consider that “by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight”.
How is that going to affect the way you live?
Are you going to work harder or believe more?
Are you going to focus more on self-improvement or God’s improvement of you?
Are you going to be more concerned about your own virtues or God’s attributes?
Are you going to be more glad about what you have done or what God has done?
Are you going to focus more on yourself or God?
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 