Stephen Davey continues his exposition on Sola Fide—faith alone—as Paul declares the universal human condition in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Humanity’s deepest struggles—guilt, fear, emptiness, and the desire for peace—stem from this truth written on every heart. Across history, people have sought salvation through religious rituals, moral acts, and self-sacrifice, yet every attempt is as futile as a mouse burying a sleeping snake under sawdust to escape danger. True deliverance, Davey teaches, can only come from outside ourselves—from Christ alone. Paul’s phrase “all have sinned” reveals both a universal verdict and an irrevocable condition: every human inherits Adam’s sinful nature. Like birds instinctively chirping or flying, humans sin instinctively—by nature, not merely by choice. The result is an irrefutable offense—we have violated God’s holiness—and an impassable chasm separating us from His glory. The Greek term husterountai (“fall short”) portrays mankind as missing the season, being spiritually bankrupt, and utterly unable to reach God’s presence—the Shekinah glory. But Paul also proclaims the good news: the great divide has been bridged by the cross. Justification—being declared righteous before God—is a gift received through faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is not achieved by religion or ritual but by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Davey closes with the story of D. James Kennedy’s conversion after hearing Donald Grey Barnhouse ask, “If God were to ask why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?” Kennedy’s answer became his life’s message—salvation is found only in the Redeemer who bridges the chasm between sin and glory.
The Great Divide
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