THE SAVING RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD (PART 1) - ROMANS3:21-30

 

Righteousness Of God Revealed: Our Justification 

3:21-25a

If you stopped reading Romans at verse 20, you might come to despair. It leaves us with the knowledge that all of us are unrighteous and under condemnation. Verse 21, however, offers us a glorious hope. It begins with the word “but”, signaling better news ahead. 

So, the word “but” marks a transition from the revelation of the wrath of God to the manifestation (bringing to light) of the righteousness of God. This also picks up the thought of 1:17, where Paul wrote that the gospel reveals the righteousness of God from faith. 

The good news is that now the righteousness of God is manifested not by keeping the law, which we cannot do, but by faith in Jesus Christ. If you take out the parenthetical clauses, the verse reads “But now the righteous ness of God has been manifested through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe”. (22)

This is the doctrine of justification. Justification is the way in which we are declared righteous by God. Romans 4:24 says it is “counted” to us who believe. 

Paul gives us several characteristics of this declaration of righteousness.

First, it is apart from the law. It is completely different and distinct from obedience to the law. You do not and cannot earn your salvation through your works. (21)

Second, it is only received by faith in Jesus, who died for us.(22, 24) It is “for all who believe” in Jesus. It is not a generalized belief in a higher being or the universe. It is not one of many ways to be justified. It is the only way, as Jesus taught in John 14:6. 

“Redemption” is only in Jesus. (24) Redemption is the release from the guilt of our sins by the payment of the price paid by Jesus (his death). 

God gave Jesus as a propitiation by his blood. (25) Propitiation means the turning away of God’s wrath. Jesus, by his death (his blood), satisfied God’s wrath and turned it away from us (believers). 

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

Third, it may be received by both Jews and Gentiles (“all who believe”), just as both Jew and Gentile are condemned as sinners who fall short of the glory of God (23)

Fourth, justification is given to us as a matter of grace. (24) It is given freely, meaning we cannot earn it or buy it. Paul stated this succinctly in Ephesians 2:8-9:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing: it is the gift of God, not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Chris Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Fifth, the law and the prophets (the Old Testament scriptures) testified to this in Christ. (21) Remember risen Jesus teaching the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-35? Jesus referred to what the prophets had spoken. Then, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets,, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself”. Wouldn’t you like to hear that Bible study?

Jesus also said to the Jews: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me.” (John 5:39) 

God’s Righteousness Revealed

3:25b-26

In the past, God did not impose the full measure of his wrath against the sins of the world before Christ. He passed over them in forbearance, suspending punishment. 

That raises the question, how can God be just and righteous if he did not fully punish these sins? The answer is God showed his righteousness by pouring out the full measure of his wrath upon Christ for these sins. 

That means also that punishment will no longer be suspended for those who do not believe in Jesus. The will suffer the full punishment of sin in the wrath of God. 

Therefore, God showed that he is both just (in punishing sins) and the justifier of believers (by giving Christ as our propitiation). (26)

The Results of Justification

3:27-30

Since we are justified through the grace of God, not works, we cannot boast about it. The credit goes to God, not us. 

Since justification is through faith, not law, all are justified in the same way, both Jew and Gentile.  This upholds the law, since the law showed us we cannot meet its standards on our won. And it means that those moral standards still apply. 

Takeaways

We see three theological terms to remember: justification, propitiation, and redemption.

Justification is the way we are declared righteous by God.

Propitiation is the turning away of God’s wrath from us by the death of Christ.

Redemption is the deliverance from the guilt of sin because of the payment by Jesus. (Hebrews 9:15)

Salvation comes to us through God’s grace. He gives it freely to those who believe in Jesus because the price has been paid by him.

GOD IS RIGHTEOUS; MAN IS NOT - ROMANS 3:1-20

 

3:1-2

Question 1-Is there any benefit to being Jewish?

Paul, having taught that God shows no partiality, anticipated some questions or objections from the Jews. The first is: If God shows no partiality, is there any advantage to being Jewish?    

Paul says yes, there is much advantage. But Paul only takes the time to give one: they were entrusted with the “oracles of God”. An “oracle” is a message from a god or the person who speaks for the god. It is a term the Romans would be familiar with. If you went to the temple of Jupiter or Mars and made an inquiry, an oracle would give you the response that was supposed to have come from the god.

So, God delivered his word to the Jews. He spoke through this prophets to the Jews. And the Jews recorded many of those words. We call them the Old Testament. He entrusted that to the Jews, a great honor and greater responsibility.

It was an honor, because God chose to reveal himself to Israel more completely to Israel than any one else. 

It was a responsibility because they were to live according to God’s word and to preserve it. They did this well at times and badly at other times. 

Subsequently, God spoke through Jesus, who entrusted his words to the apostles, who were all Jewish. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…”. (Hebrews 1:1)

3:3-4

Question 2 - does the unfaithfulness of the Jews nullify the faithfulness of God?

Most of the Jews rejected Jesus and his words. They were unfaithful to God in this. 

Does this nullify God’s faithfulness? Paul says no. God is faithful to fulfill his promises, including the promise of a savior. The unbelief of the Jews is due to their failure, not God’s. God stays true no matter what humans do. 

Paul cited Psalm 51:4 as proof. David acknowledged his sin and established the truthfulness of God’s words and the righteousness of his judgment.  David was unfaithful and rebelled against God; but God remained faithful.

3:5-8

Question 3 - How Can God Inflict Wrath On Us

The next question Paul anticipates is: if our unrighteousness shows that God is righteous, how can he inflict wrath on us? Is that not unfair? If we do evil to show God is good, is not that a good thing? Does that make God unrighteous? 

Paul said no. God is going to judge the world. That is Paul’s assumption and ours. Therefore, he must be righteous and just. And, anyone who accuses Paul of saying otherwise is condemned. The accusation was probably made by Jewish believers who insisted that obedience to the law was essential to salvation. 

3:9-20

Conclusion: The Jews Are As Guilty As The Gentiles

Paul begins his conclusion to this section with a rhetorical question: are the Jews better off? In other words, are they excluded from judgment because they have the law? 

Paul’s answer is “no”. All are sinners, Jew and Gentile.

To bolster his point, Paul again cited the Old Testament. He combined several Old Testament texts, from Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah. He set them out in the text, some quoted, some paraphrased. 

These verses state that none are righteous and none seek God. They do not do good, they speak deceptively and vulgarly, they shed blood, and they do not fear God. 

And, anyone who accuses Paul of saying otherwise is condemned. 

The accusation was probably made by Jewish believers who insisted that obedience to the law was essential to salvation.

The conclusion is that no one is righteous and all are accountable to God. 

The law will not justify anyone. It brings knowledge of sin. It was never intended to bring salvation, but to show the need for salvation. 

UNIVERSAL JUDGMENT - ROMANS 3

Judgment On The Jews

2:1-11

In the previous section, Paul addressed God’s wrath and judgment on the Gentiles for their sins and rejection of God.

In this section, Paul addresses God’s judgment on the Jews. We know that because verse 1 refers to them as “everyone of you who judges”. The Jews judged all Gentiles to be immoral and inferior to the Jews who had been given the law of God.

But, Paul warned the Jews that they were without excuse just as the Gentiles were, because, when they passed judgment on the Gentiles for their behavior, they showed that they knew such behavior was sinful. The Jews did judge the Gentiles as less moral and religious because they were not Jews. 

They wrongly believed that they were entitled to special indulgences from God when they sinned. But, Paul said they condemned themselves since they did the same things. And the judgment of God falls on those who practice these sinful ways. (2)

Paul also warned the Jews against presuming the would escape judgment because of their covenant status with God. Although the nation had often violated the covenant and suffered for it, God had forgiven and restored them multiple times. That made them think their status made them immune from judgment.

In fact, God’s kindness and forbearance of judgment on the Jews was not giving the Jews a pass for their sins, but to lead them to repentance. (4) But their presumptuous sinning and hardened hearts resulted in storing up wrath that God will unleash on them at the judgment. (5) 

That is because God will not distinguish between Jew and Gentile at the judgment. He will judge according to their works whether or not they are Jews. Those who do well will receive eternal life. Those who are disobedient and unrighteous will receive wrath and fury. (8) He will not show partiality to the Jews. They receive judgment first if they are unrighteous. (Remember that he is speaking here about judgment to show the need for salvation. Those who are in Christ, who are saved, will not face God’s wrath. Paul will develop this later.)

Judgment And Responsibility - The Jews

2:12-13

God’s judgment is universal. Every person will be judged by God. They will be judged according to the revelation they have. The Jews, who had the law, will be judged by the law. “Law” means the rules and regulations of the Old Covenant. Those are summarized by the Ten Commandments, not limited to them. 

Some Jews evidently thought that having the law given to them made them acceptable to God by itself. But Paul pointed out that it is obedience to the law that is essential, not just having it and being taught it. (13)

Judgment And Responsibility - The Gentiles

2:14-16

Here Paul inserts a digression from the responsibility of the Jews, to discussing the responsibility of the Gentiles.

Even though they did not have the law, Gentiles are judged also. They are judged by their conscience, this is formed by God and witnesses to them of God’s standards. For example, every society condemns murder and theft. They all have laws, many of which reflect God’s law. Some, of course, fall away from those standards as their culture drifts further from God. 

Judgment And Responsibility - The Jews (Continued)

2:17-29

Verse 17 returns to Paul’s discourse on the responsibility of the Jews regarding the law. He sets this out in detail. He pointed out the pride of the Jews, their boasting of their special relation to God that is evidenced by his giving them the law. They considered themselves guides to the blind, instructors of the foolish and the children, and knowing the truth. 

If that is the case, Paul condemns them for not following their own teaching. They commit the sins they condemn. Paul says they dishonor God by breaking the law they boast in having. (23) 

He cited Isaiah 52:5 (or Ezekiel 36:20-23) where God accused Israel of blaspheming (profaning) his name among the Gentiles because of their idolatry and other sins.  

In fact, Paul says a Jew who does not obey the law is not a Jew. Jews were distinguished from Gentiles with an outward sign: circumcision. But the outward sign is not enough to be a true Jew. If a Jew does not live by the law, he effectively becomes a Gentile. His circumcision becomes uncircumcision (25)

Conversely, one who keeps the law, though physically uncircumcised, becomes as a true Jew, part of Israel, through his obedience. These condemn those who are outwardly Jewish but break the law.

Verses 28-29 are a summary of this. It is not the physical signs that are important, but the condition of the heart (obedience). This person, with a circumcised heart, seeks to please God. He does not seek to please men with his outward conformity. 

This teaching is not entirely new to Paul. The Old Testament also used the metaphor of circumcision to mean the changing of the heart from disobedience to obedience. 

For example, in Deuteronomy 10:16, when Moses presented the Israelites with the second tablets of the commandments, he told them to “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.” He wanted them to repent and commit to obeying the law of the covenant. 

Also, Jeremiah 4:4, Jeremiah told Israel that when God restored them from captitivity, they should:

“Circumcise yourselves to the LORD;

remove the foreskin of your hearts,

O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem;

lest my wrath go forth like fire,

and burn with none to quench it,

because of the evil of your deeds.” 

Also, the Old Testament spoke of physical circumcision not being enough to please God: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh…” (Jeremiah 9:25). 

So, in his teaching, Paul is not speaking a new doctrine. He is teaching what is told in the Old Testament and applying it to in the New Testament context. He is also setting the stage for his teaching that there will not be two different kinds of the people of God, but one community, one people, united in Christ to the glory of God.