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LESSON 7 (May 25 Romans 3:21-31) Justified by His Grace as a Gift “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." That was the conclusion reached in Romans 3:20. To this point in his letter, the news delivered by Paul has been bleak to say the least. •The wrath of Cod is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth (1:18). •There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek (2:9). •All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law (2:12). •Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision (2:25). •None is righteous, no, not one (3:10). •No one can stand before the perfectly holy, perfectly just, perfectly impartial Creator of the universe and be recognized as perfectly acceptable by his or her own merit."There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (3:23). Whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, rich or poor, slave or free, when my works are compared with God's expectations,I am not shown to be guiltless, upheld as innocent, or vindicated as righteous.Without excuse, exception, or rationalization, l am shown to be guilty, convicted as a lawbreaker, and condemned as out of harmony with the will of my Creator. As such, I am without excuse. I have not given Cod the honor, thanksgiving, or obedient submission he rightly deserves. ln your own words, what is "sin"? What makes sin so serious? What does sin have to do with "falling short of the glory of God"?