Romans: Declared Righteous

Romans 3:21-26

Today, we begin a new section in the book of Romans. After Paul declared that he was not ashamed of the gospel—the A-to-Z of the Christian life (Rom. 1:16-17)— he asked the question “Why?” Why do we need the gospel—the “news of victory” about Jesus’ work? 

Paul answered this question in Romans 1:18-3:20 by describing humanity’s helpless and hopeless condition. No one is righteous, not even one (Rom. 3:10-12). We can’t be moral enough, religious enough, or keep the law perfectly. For us to know God, he must intervene. 

Let’s take our time to understand this, as Paul explains what God has done. 

Romans 3:21
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—

The words “but now” signal a sharp contrast to what Paul has said about our helpless state. We are now heading in a new direction, as Paul clarifies in his letter; however, he wants to stress that this is not a new message. It has been conveyed throughout the Old Testament. 

The word “righteousness” (Greek: dikaiosune) comes from a construction tool in the Old Testament. A river reed was used as a “standard” or “measuring reed,” serving as the measurement by which all things were to be evaluated. In Scripture, the ultimate standard is God himself. He is righteous, and all things are measured by him. 

The phrase “the righteousness of God” explains how we can be right with God. God has shown us that the way to have a relationship with him is “apart from the law, although the Law and Prophets bear witness to it.” The “Law and Prophets” is Paul’s way of referencing the entire Old Testament. Therefore, Paul is saying that the way to God is not through the Old Testament law, but that the message of the coming Messiah is found in the Old Testament writings (e.g., Gen. 3:15 and Isa. 53).

Paul will explain this more fully later in his letter, but for now, he gets to the point and explains how we can become right with God. 

Romans 3:22
…The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe….

The way to a right standing before God is not through being moral, being religious, or keeping the law. The way to God is “through faith in Jesus Christ.”

Faith is not an activity that earns favor. Instead, faith is a God-given trust that enables us to be fully convinced that what God promises, he can and will accomplish (Rom. 4:21). Faith involves transferring the false trust in our own ability to be righteous to God, who makes us righteous through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Someone has said, “Faith is the ‘hand of the heart.’ It takes what God bestows but adds nothing to the gift.” 

Okay, to be clear, why do we need to place our trust in someone other than ourselves?

Romans 3:22b-23
For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God….

This verse sums up the entire human race with one statement—“for there is no distinction.” All of humanity has been plunged into sin with Adam. The Greek verb translated “fall short” is in the present tense, emphasizing ongoing action. We “fall short” and “keep on falling short.” On our own, we are unable to measure up to the perfection, splendor, and “glory of God.” 

But here is the “news of victory!”

Romans 3:24-25a
…For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. 

This passage is packed! Let’s break it down.

Justified by his grace
“Justify” is a legal term that means “to make righteous” or “declared righteous.” This is in the present tense and can be translated “keep on being declared righteous.” Our being declared righteous is not deserved or earned, but is a gift of grace. Grace is “unmerited favor,” a favor done out of the generosity of the heart without expectation of anything in return. The favor is based on “the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Redemption through Jesus
There are three Greek words used in the New Testament that are translated as “redeem.” The word agorazo means to “buy in the slave market” (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23; 2 Pet. 2:1). Jesus bought us when we were in the slave market of sin. The Greek word exagorazo means “to buy out of the slave market” (Gal. 3:13; 4:5). We have been purchased and can never be put up for sale again. The word Paul uses in Romans 3:24 is lutoo. It means “to set free by paying a price.” Jesus paid the price in full by his death on the cross, which sets us free from a life controlled by sin.

Propitiation by his blood
Another word for “propitiation” is “appeasement.” Paul told us in Romans 1:18 that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” It was the death of Jesus that appeased God’s wrath on sin. One biblical scholar says it like this: “The blood of Jesus satisfies the just requirements of God’s holy law which mankind broke, pays the penalty for man, and thus removes that which had separated between a holy God and sinful man, sin, its guilt and penalty.”^[1] The death of Jesus turned God’s wrath away from us and made us “propitious” or favorable to him.

Romans 3:25b-26
This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 

Since the beginning of the world, as people believed in God, he did not forget that sin deserved death and that a payment for sin had to be made. In his patience, he didn’t overlook sin but stored up the punishment for Jesus. Jesus would be the only one who could pay the penalty in full. 

Only Jesus—the sinless One, fully God in the flesh, and perfectly just—was able to pay the penalty for our sin. Our sin was placed on him so that we, by placing our faith in him, would be justified—that is, declared righteous before God. 

It’s all about Jesus!

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Time in the Word: Read and reflect on Romans 3:21-26. Consider the rich theological truths of justification, redemption, and propitiation in this passage.

Talking to God: Which parts of your life show trust in yourself rather than faith in what Jesus has done for you? Ask God to help you fully trust in the work of Jesus. Thank him that the penalty for your sin has been paid in full.

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