9/3/23 - What Good Is the Bible? - Romans 3:1-22 - Pastor Jason Fritz

There’s a YouTuber who crashes fashion shows by dressing up unknown elderly people in the most ridiculous costumes. The funny part is that he is able to convince everyone in charge that he is a real designer and that these geriatrics are real fashion models. Sometimes he actually gets them on the runways. The crowd can be seen applauding, taking pictures, asking for interviews and writing reviews...until someone says, “That’s my grandpa who retired from the post office!” Suddenly the mask is taken off and everyone gets a good laugh at the expense of those who claim to set the standards.

It’s like the fable of the emperor who has no clothes. He commissioned the finest designers to fashion for himself the most beautiful outfit in the world. But the designers conned him. They said the clothes were made of a very special invisible fabric that only the pure in heart could see. After many delays and much money the emperor sent his advisor to check the work. The designers could be observed weaving the invisible fabric and the advisor himself, not wanting to be seen as having an impure heart, reports back, “The work is stunning!” 
 
Finally, the day arrives and the emperor is presented with his invisible wardrobe. He strips off his clothes and the designers come forward and place the imaginary cloak upon his bare shoulders. The emperor begins walking among his people, and everyone, for fear of being seen as having corrupted hearts, lifts up their praises. The truth is revealed when an innocent little child points, laughs and shouts, “The emperor has no clothes!” In this moment the hypocritical pretense of an entire nation is revealed.

Meanwhile, our world remains silent while falsehoods are being promoted and everyone is signing on, carrying the mantra of those in authority because we do not want to be seen as fools. And yet we are fools for ignoring what we know to be true and right. This is the challenge Paul brings to all humanity. God’s Word strips away our own self-deceit. However good some might appear to be, the Bible tells us the whole world has fallen short and our best human efforts won’t save us. We’ve all been made bare. Thankfully, God arranged someone who could clothe us in His perfect righteousness.