Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

8 August 2025

Reading From Romans 9:16-33

“What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.  As it is written:

“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall,
    and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”—Romans 9:30-33

No one is made right with God by perfectly observing the Law because it is impossible to do, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Jesus came to fulfill the Law and satisfied God’s justice by taking the sins of the whole world upon Himself and dying upon the cross. He shed His blood as the Lamb of God; the ultimate sacrifice once and for all.

By grace through faith in Jesus we are cleansed by His blood and His righteousness is imputed to us. He takes us from the miry clay of sin, sets our feet upon the Rock, washes us clean, anoints us with the oil of His Spirit, and clothed us in the robes of His righteousness. Inspired and motivated by His love, we seek to obey His Word the Bible and do good unto our fellow man. We do not do good works to earn His approval or righteousness or salvation. We choose to have His love flow through us into the lives of others in order to bring glory to His matchless Name. This life giving relationship brings blessing after blessing from the Father and in turn we are to share those blessings with others.

“Lord Jesus, thank You for setting us free from the Law of sin and death and blessings us with life abundant and eternal. Help us to share Your abundant blessings with others in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.  This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.—Romans 3:21-25