"Accountable... to God."

May our hearts be transformed daily.  May we let go of our way and follow the way of Christ.  May we surrender our privilege, our advantage, and our desire to boast.  May we know and follow Christ more closely, seeking justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly.


Romans 3:19-26
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. ²⁰For ‘no human being will be justified in his sight’ by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

Righteousness through Faith

21 But now, irrespective of law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ^* for all who believe. For there is no distinction, ²³since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; ²⁴they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement^* by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; ²⁶it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.^*


1) "...held accountable to God;" "...no human being will be justified in his sight' by deeds prescribed;" "...the knowledge of sin;" "...the righteousness of God has been disclosed;" "...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;" "...justified by his grace as a gift;" "...redemption that is in Christ Jesus;" "...effective through faith;" "...passed over;" "...he justifies;"


2) We "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  When I'm frustrated with someone else's shadow, it helps to reflect on this verse.  Rather than being angry and frustrated with the individual, I move into a place of honest grief that we just aren't meeting the glory of God.  So when someone is long winded, or slow to understand, or just not doing what they said they would do, or doing what they said they wouldn't, rather than living into my frustration, exasperation, anger, discouragement, I take the opportunity to remember that we all fall short and the glory we do experience is glory freely given.  Thanks be to God.  As I enable, condone, affirm, or remain silent to negative behaviour, I'm "sinning," as much as if I'm doing the negative behaviour myself.


3) Find gratitude for God's forbearance.  To live that forbearance myself.


"Thank you, Holy One, transform our hearts."


Breathprayer: "Accountable... to God"