April 17
Romans 3:30: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the
circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
At certain times of the year sinners
divide themselves from one another, using a so-called holy day, to exalt
themselves over the other. Those who
call themselves Jews observe certain days and those who call themselves
Christians observe certain days. But it
is not a day that God’s people observe.
Why?
First, it is because the Holy Spirit
declares it is one God who justifies. God
justifies his people in the person of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is Christ alone that fulfilled all the law
for his people (including the types of all holy days (Col 2: 16-17)); it is
Christ alone that declares the righteousness of God by his faithfulness; it is Christ
alone that God set forth to be the propitiation—the mercy seat—through faith in
his blood; it is Christ alone who declares God just and the Justifier of him
that believes in Jesus. It is one God
that justifies. Therefore we do not worship a day. We worship the one God who justifies.
Furthermore, we do not separate and exalt
ourselves over others by observing a certain “holy day” because the one God justifies
the Jew (circumcision) and the Gentile (uncircumcision) the same way, through
faith in Christ. God gave a particular
people to Christ. Christ put away their
sin on the cross, establishing perfect righteousness for them. The Holy Spirit regenerates each one and God
gives them faith through the hearing of the faithfulness of Christ Jesus. (Gal
3: 2) God imputes the righteousness of Christ to each one who believes. So whether they be Jew or Gentile by their
first birth, each sinner who believes is justified the same way—by one God,
through one faith, in one Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Eph 4: 4-6) Therefore, we do not worship a day. We
worship the one God who justifies his people one way, through faith in Christ.