Romans 3:23-24 “…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. “

These two verses encapsulate the gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s all in there. Our need, and God’s provision.

Memorize these two verses and you have a mighty tool in your evangelistic tool belt that you always have with you. You will be ready, well prepared. “…always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” 1 Peter 3:15

.Many of us can recite vs. 23 – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That is only the first half of the gospel.  We are sinners.  We fall short and cannot bridge the gap on our own.  Verse 24, however, is a vital part to the truth. 

A person is justified by God’s grace…  Justified means declared righteous. Adoption gives a good picture of this.  A child chosen for adoption becomes the adopted parents’ child because the parents made a love choice.  They and the courts declare that child is now officially the child of the new parents.  That declaration does not make the new parents the biological parents but they are the true parents through that declaration.  Justification is similar in that God chose to justify, declare His child righteous.  That declaration did not instantly make us righteous, but it was declared so and for all concerned, we are now justified, righteous. 

This justification takes place by God’s grace AS A GIFT… it cannot be earned.  There are not grace “points” that we earn by doing various things.  This verse clearly states grace is free.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 6:23.  What we earn for our sin is death.  We don’t earn a gift or else it’s not a gift but wages, our due.  Romans 4:4 “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.”  Romans 3:24 says we are justified by his grace as a gift… not by our labors, good deeds or works, not by putting money in the offering, not being the right religion, not by ANYTHING we DO. 

The gift of redemption is provided by God through Jesus’ shed blood on the Cross. Propitiation is a fancy word for gaining or regaining the favor or goodwill of:  TO APPEASE; an atoning sacrifice. (Merriam – Webster on-line).  It required blood – blood of great value.  “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” Hebrews 9:22.

All that, the gift of justification, of redemption, of propitiation is received by faith.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God not a result of works, so that no one may boast”  Ephesians 2:8-9.

I have given you several supporting verses of the simple gospel truths in today’s Victory Call, but Romans 3:23-24 sums it up nicely.  Memorize these two verses and then get ready. God will use you to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost. 

Will you take up the challenge and pray that God will send needy people your way that He wants to give His precious gift?  Will you join me?

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America’s Keswick.  She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study.  Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.