Bible Studies for Students - Week of July 4

Remedy: A cure for a universal sickness

Verse: Romans 3

Romans 3:22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

Throughout his arduous and adventurous life, the apostle Paul has kept one career goal constantly before him: a visit to Rome. In Paul’s day, Rome stands alone, the capital of the powerful Roman Empire, which rules over the entire Mediterranean region. A tiny new church in Rome has caused great excitement among other Christians who know that in some ways the future of the church rests on what happens in Rome. If they expect to make an impact on the world, they will have to penetrate this great city.

Paul prays for the Roman church constantly and has made plans to visit there several times. Since none of those plans has yet materialized, Paul writes this letter, a concise summary of the Christian faith.

Who’s Sick?

The remedy for human problems, Paul proclaims, is God’s amazing grace—a complete cure available to all. Yet people will not seek a cure until they know they are ill. If a doctor were to suddenly appear on a television news program announcing a cure for, say, the Paraguayan flu, who would care? For his discovery to impress us so deeply that we would seek vaccination, he must first prove the terrible danger posed by this unknown virus.

Thus Romans begins with one of the darkest summaries in the Bible. “There is no one righteous, not even one,” (Romans 3:10) Paul concludes. The entire world is doomed to spiritual death unless a cure can be found. Out of the mournful sounds, however, comes a clear, bright note of wonderful news (Romans 3:21-31), a compact expression of the core message of the gospel.

Life Questions

Whom in your life are you concerned about, that they will understand the message Romans presents?

This devotion is from the NIV Student Bible by Zondervan. Used with permission.