But now...

These are the two great words of Romans.

Listen! They are the hinge on which the world turns.

The world was silent when they were spoken. "Every mouth was silenced," says Paul. Before the holiness of God men must forever shut their mouths, and hold their tongues. Where is boasting before the throne of God? It is excluded.

Shhh...you stand examined by the Law. See yourself as the Law sees you, that is, without deception, without hiding. Nothing in all creation is hidden from his sight, everything is uncovered and laid bare...yes, even your heart lies uncovered and laid bare. Every thought, every rising passion, every moment of anger.

Listen to what Paul says about you! Your feet are swift to shed blood, your mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

Do you think you will escape such things? Remember David's conclusion. If God is counting sins, who can stand?

Here is where we stand in Romans iii.20. We shudder in the knowledge of our sin, but we are silent. No man can speak. No man can claim anything. We sit still and wait.

Then the words come forth.

But now...

Our hearts leap to hear them. These words are free, a hoping against hope. Knowing the character of God and the nature of our sin, what hope can we have for mercy. Our hearts wait.

What the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his Son.