Romans 3

The first part of the chapter, v.1-8, seems like complicated rhetoric. It goes back and forth between our unrighteousness and lies vs God's righteousness and truth. But J. MacArthur sums it up very simply: "By contrast, like a jeweler who displays a diamond on black velvet to make the stone appear even more beautiful." I love that! "...our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God,..." v. 5

"...there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, who God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith." v. 22-25

Propitiation, a placard. In the Hebrew it means: the mercy seat, the cover to the ark of the covenant. Christ's death was done publicly, for all to see. All the world knows that Jesus Christ was slaughtered for our sins - the lamb of God was sacrificed and His blood sprinkled on the alter to save each one who believes.

Switching gears, v. 10-18 are key verses from Psalms declaring all our unrighteousness. I want to particularly point out v. 13. "Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving, the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness..."

"As an unsealed open grave allows those who pass to see and smell what is inside, the unregenerate person's open throat - that s, the foul words that come from it - reveal the decay of the heart." J. MacArthur Wow.

I wanted to bring this up because words can be a nemesis. Words can break spirits; they can cause chaos in any environment. I am particularly thinking about the work place. A few wrongly placed negatives can turn co-workers against each other. This just happened where I work, and I was the culprit...not meaning to, but did just the same. I have been memorizing a verse about asking God to guard my words and let them be always be good. FAIL!...our unrighteousness spot lights God's righteousness.