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.
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