Romans 3:21-26
God as Judge {Genesis 18;25 Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?]. Hasha; Mhukumu ulimwengu wote asitende haki
Vs 21: Lakini sasa, haki ya Mungu imedhihirika pasipo sheria; inashuhudiwa na torati na manabii;
[But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;]
[But now the righteousness of God [God has provided forgiveness and cleansing from sin] has been manifested apart from the law [sheria], being witnessed by the law [Torah] and the prophets;] Laws are written to restrict and control evil but no law could do this. But Torah recognized this truth.
Vs 22: ni haki ya Mungu iliyo kwa njia ya imani katika Yesu Kristo kwa wote [all people] waaminio. Maana [because] hakuna tofauti [difference];
[Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:}
[It is the righteousness of God through [of] faith in Jesus Christ for all and on all who believe. For there is no distinction;] Faith is required because we cannot earn our salvation, nor are we fully aware of how God is working in us.
Vs 23: kwa sababu [reason] wote [all people] wamefanya dhambi [sin], na kupungukiwa na utukufu [Glory] wa Mungu;
[for all people have sinned and lack the glory of God. – utukufu wa Mungu].
When Adam and Eve left the Garden, they went out without God’s Glory. They lost it! They no longer had it. We call this “The Fall”. kupungukiwa.
No one is living for the Lord nor can they please God without Christ in their life.
utukufu in the Old Testament speaks of greatness, abundance, and there rich and splendor, grandeur, magnificence. Utukufu ni ukuu [greatness] wa Mungu. He is all powerful, all knowing, everywhere. He is eternal, and He is love. His greatest, most glorious act? Our salvation! The word is expressed in visible terms as lightening or brightness.
- Rev. 22:5 We have no need of the sun in Heaven because Jesus is the light.
- Matthew 17:2 At Jesus’ transfiguration: “his face did shine as the sun”
- Exodus 40:34 “the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle”
- Ezekiel 10:4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’S glory.
2 Corinthians 3:18 Lakini sisi sote, kwa uso usiotiwa utaji, tukiurudisha utukufu wa Bwana, kama vile katika kioo, tunabadilishwa tufanane [we like] na mfano [image] uo huo [same as Christ our ], toka utukufu hata utukufu, kama vile kwa utukufu utokao kwa Bwana, aliye Roho.
- this is utukufu wa Bwana == wa Mungu because Bwanna ni Mungu
- vile [as] katika [in] kioo [mirror: reflection] Our lives reflect Christ. People should see Him in us.
- badilishwa – changed. Should have used Mageuzi because the change is not temporary but forever; it is not in appearance but in nature, not just what we do but who we are on the inside. Like the caterpillar becoming the butterfly: metamorfozi kutoka kwa funza hadi kipepeo.
- tufanane [like]: “are changed into the same image from glory to glory” Sisi ni nakala [copies] za Kristo, asili halisi. Jesus us the original, we are to be “like Him. 1 John 3:2 We shall be like Him [tutafanana naye]
- toka utukufu hata utukufu from glory to glory. This is a process. Maybe this is sanctification.
- Tunamageuzi na Roho wa Mungu. we are being transformed by the Spirit of God.
Vs 24: wanahesabiwa haki bure kwa neema [grace] yake, kwa njia ya ukombozi [redemption] ulio katika Kristo Yesu;
[Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:} They are considered righteous without cost by his grace through the way of redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
- ukombozi – freedom, rescue, or relief, like from debt, oppression, or hardship.
- neema -God paid it for us as a gift. not wages, not earned.
- bure – freely
- haki – God no longer remembers our sins or keeps a record of them. Like a judge who acquits [anayetuachilia] us of all wrong doing.
- Forgiven-not required to pay our own debt because Jesus paid it for us.
Vs. 25: ambaye Mungu amekwisha kumweka awe upatanisho kwa njia ya imani katika damu yake, ili aonyeshe haki yake, kwa sababu ya kuziachilia katika ustahimili wa MUNGU dhambi zote zilzotangulia kufanywa.
[whom God set forth to be a propitiation [upatanisho] through faith in his blood, to demonstrate [aonyeshe] his righteousness, because in God’s forbearance [tolerance not forgiveness] he had passed over [did not punish] all the sins that were previously committed.]
Vs 26: apate kuonyesha haki yake wakati huu, ili awe mwenye haki na mwenye kumhesabu haki yeye amwaminiye Yesu.
To demonstrate his righteousness at this time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Demonstrate aonyeshe, not athibitishe [proved] and not Eleza / Fafanua – To explain / clarify but Mungu alidhihirisha neema yake kwa watu wote. [God manifested his grace to all people.]
Sababu kwa nini Mungu alionyesha neema yake [The reason why God showed his grace]:
- Jesus triumphant in victory over Satan [Colossians 2:15]
- Neema is for everyone everywhere.
- God desires all to be saved but they must accept it by faith 2 Peter 3:9
- They need to hear about this salvation, else how will they accept it? Romans 10:13-15
- Faith cometh by hearing Romans 10:17 – Basi imani [faith] , chanzo chake ni [its soruce is] kusikia [hearing]; na kusikia huja kwa neno [word} la Kristo.
He may be able to show his justice [as the judge] at this time [when Jesus died] so that He may be the just one [The good Judge Genesis 18:25] and the One to forgive and acquit anyone who believes in Jesus [Romans 10:9-10].
Kuhesabiwa haki declared righteous. The record of our sins is erased or canceled. Kufutwa hatia guilt is removed. Msamaha wa dhambi sins forgiven.
This is the role of a judge in the act of judging when someone is set free.
How Glorious a Salvation
- Hakuna haki ila ya imani katika Yesu Kristo. [We must accept God’s forgiveness we cannot earn it] by Faith
- Kama hakuna tofauti, ni kwa sababu [reason] ya neema. Grace means salvation is for all who accept Christ—not just Jewish people.
- Wote [everyone] wamefanya [practices] dhambi [sin], na kupungukiwa [The Fall] na utukufu wa Mungu
- Mathayo 20:28 Yesu alikuja kutoa uhai wake kuwa fidia. [Jesus came to give his life as a ransom.]
- Yesu alikufa ili tupate haki kupitia kwake. [Jesus died so that we might receive justification through Him.]
- Mungu alidhihirisha neema yake kwa watu wote. [God showed, demonstrated, his grace to all people]
- MLANGO 8:1 Sasa, basi, hakuna hukumu ya adhabu juu yao walio katika Kristo Yesu. There is no adhabu anymore for those in Christ.
