Perfect Justice, Perfect Mercy. Only God Himself Could do This.
By Craig Manners
2009
The Heart of the Gospel
NIV 21"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[a] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26).
Known as the ‘heart of the Gospel’, this passage is rich in meaning and has played a central role in theological studies for centuries. In fact, Martin Luther, called this passage, that is Romans 3:21-26, “the chief point, and the very central place of the Epistle to the Romans, and of the whole Bible.” [1]
So why is it famous and so central to the Gospel? Well, in these few verses the apostle Paul explains how people can be made right with God, through a righteousness which comes from God Himself.
Paul first talks about this righteousness of God in Romans 1:17, where he says; “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Paul here touches on the revelation of this righteousness from God, its historical witness, its source, and the means of receiving it. Using the word dikaiosu,nh righteousness seven times emphasizes it as the central theme of this passage. The righteousness of God must include the inherent justice of God, and so we also see how justification therefore requires nothing less than complete atonement for sins, thereby dealing with God’s justice and wrath.
Following 3:9-20 which outlines the guilt of all humanity and concludes Paul’s in-depth emphasis on the universal nature of sin (from 1:18-3:20), we now arrive at God’s answer to this desperate state of all mankind, “justification by faith” (in 3:21-4:25). The manner of securing this righteousness, “by faith alone” is further emphasized in 3:27-4:25.
We see here that Jesus Christ and His atoning death on the cross is at the centre of God’s plan to redeem His creation by justly dealing with sin and reconciling sinners to Himself. Here we find the very good news of God’s way of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.
All humanity needs the righteousness of and from God revealed in the gospel (1:17), because all are under sin (3:9), and none are righteous (3:10, 12). Having demonstrated how the law operates to convict people of sin (3:19-20), Paul here in 3:21-26 shows how this righteousness of God is provided as the solution.
Now, as we come to look more closely at our passage we see that we really are dealing with: The Heart of the Gospel.
We hear that term all the time don’t we, the “Gospel,” and we often just assume that everyone knows what it means. It needs to be explained every now and then though for the benefit of those unfamiliar with it and also for Christians to help them to be able to verbalize and to share the Gospel with others. So what is the Gospel?
The Gospel:
The Gospel is the good news in answer to the bad news of mankind’s rebellion against God and His authority. This rebellion is called sin and the consequences of sin are physical and eternal death, separation from God forever. The reason for such dire consequences is because of God’s holiness and justice and His just wrath against all sin and the need for this wrath to be dealt with justly to fulfill God’s justice.
Here are four words you can try and remember which may help you to share the Gospel with others. As we go through the passage keep in mind these four words and then after we briefly look at the passage we will go through them: The four words are God; Sin; Jesus; You.
The Hopeless Condition of Mankind:
Now, let’s start by following Paul’s example and firstly highlight this hopeless condition of Man, apart from God’s mercy and grace. When I say Man, I refer equally to men, women and children. Salvation implies that there is something to be saved from. What is it that we need to be saved from? In Romans 1:17 Paul tells us about this righteousness of God being revealed. But why do we need this righteousness from God? Well, Paul goes on in verse 18 to tell us why: “18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.”
To counter the wrath of God is one reason that we need this righteousness of God. But why is God, who we know is a God of love, so filled with wrath or anger? Well, as much as God is a God of love and mercy He is also a very just and holy God who hates sin. His very justice and holiness requires that sin is responded to with His wrath. Only God could provide a just solution to the problem of human guilt and sin. Only God’s divine righteousness itself could appease His divine wrath.
It is from our slavery to sin and from the full force of God’s wrath in response to sin that we need to be saved. Now, no one likes to talk about sin these days do they? People prefer to think kindly about themselves and to blame others or their circumstances for their own bad behaviour. They might say things like: “Well, sure I have sinned, but not as much as so and so.” Or they may say: “Basically I am not a bad person”. But that is not what Scripture reveals about us is it?
So, what is sin? Sin is disobeying or not conforming to God’s law in any way. When God made man He made Adam and Eve as righteous beings who enjoyed a direct and close relationship with Him. Everything was perfect and they walked together with God in the Garden of Eden.
But then because of Adam and Eve’s first sin they fell from their original righteousness and were banished from the Garden and no longer walked with or in the presence of God. This is called original sin and it is transferred to all mankind since Adam. Then there is what is termed actual sin, which are the sins of word, deed and thought which each of us commit every day.
God is so pure and holy that He equates anger and hatred with murder and lust with adultery. We are all sinners. This is our human condition, our big problem, which has caused all mankind to be separated from our Creator. Our big need is to be reconciled to our Creator.
The wages of sin is death, both physical and spiritual death for all eternity. Sin is not just something which affects life after death however, it is something which impacts on this life in a big way as well. The consequences of every little sin we commit are immense. Sin debilitates, devastates and destroys. Our sins are a burden to us, they destroy relationships and they devastate lives.
Ezekiel 33 vv 10-11 tell us that, "Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them." But our loving Creator God says: 11 “ 'As surely as I live, …, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live." How are we to do that? How can we do that all by ourselves? Well, we can’t! That’s part of our problem. But thankfully God can!
Now we come to those sweet sounding words at the beginning of verse 21: “But now”.
V21 But now, apart from the law, righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified to by the law and the prophets,
“There are no more wonderful words in the whole of Scripture than just these two words ‘But now,’ ” said Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.[2] They signal the reality that the cross is the point of transition between the old era of sin’s domination and the new era of salvation through “the righteousness of God.”[3] It heralds the solution to man’s problem, to man’s fallen condition. As we have already discussed, there is something terribly wrong with each of us isn’t there. We are corrupted and we live in a fallen world. But now, we see the solution to our dire situation.
The following words apart from the law reiterate the shift represented by “but now,” and together with the phrase “righteousness of God” indicates the relationship of this manifestation of God’s righteousness to the O.T. As John Murray says, it displays “the combination of continuity and discontinuity in salvation history that is characteristic of Romans.” It also shows that righteousness is in no way available by works of the law or any human effort (cf. v.28 and 4:6).
The law, referring to the whole Judaistic system of ceremonial observances and worship laid down in the OT, cannot save (3:19-20) but the gospel is not contrary to the law, and the law is not nullified, as Paul makes clear in v.31. Paul’s point is that righteousness cannot come from obedience to the O.T. law, and he goes on in other parts of Romans (cf. 3:27-31; 4:15; 5:13, 20; 6:14; ch.7) to explain this in depth. In this justification there can be no contribution given by works of the law. There is simply nothing fallen man can do to pick himself up and reconcile himself to his Creator.
With the phrase dikaiosu,nh[4] qeou/ righteousness of God, we find the heart of the passage as demonstrated by its repeated and varied use.[5] In a passage full of important theological terms, the phrase ‘righteousness of God’ [dikaiosu,nh qeou/] quite obviously stands out. Many theologians have called it the fundamental concept and theme of the entire letter to the Romans. This righteousness from God mentioned as being revealed in 1:17 and contrasted with the revelation of God’s wrath in 1:18, is now expanded upon.
Augustine succinctly describes “the righteousness of God” as: “that with which he clothes a person when He justifies the ungodly.”[6] Luther says that “‘righteousness of God’ (v.21) is a term which describes that by which He makes us righteous, just as the wisdom of God is that by which He makes us wise.”
God says in Isaiah 46:13, “I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed.” This shows us that righteousness equates to salvation being what is required for man to live and be reconciled to God (cf. Hab. 2:4). It is what God is, what he requires from us and what he gives to us freely as he knows we can’t achieve it ourselves. The next important phrase in this verse, verse 21 is: being testified to by the law and the prophets.
Romans 3:20 states: “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” The OT law and prophets point to, and toward our need of, God’s righteousness. God’s word reveals clearly that God is holy and He cannot ignore sin; man is not holy and cannot achieve righteousness or holiness by himself and so needs God’s righteousness to be bestowed as a gift in order to be saved. The truth of justification by grace through faith is evident throughout Scripture.
As we see in verse 22 where we read: righteousness of God which is through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe; for there is no distinction; this righteousness cannot be fully realized apart from faith in Jesus, toward whom the law and the prophets testify.
As John Calvin points out, “The origin of this righteousness is from God and it is made manifest to us in Christ.”[7] Now that the righteousness of God has been revealed (v.21) it must be believed, something which requires hearing the Gospel (10:14) followed by obedience which comes from faith (1:5). This applies to both Jew and Gentile. Rom 1:16 says “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
This righteousness of God is only available to individuals dia. pi,stewj VIhsou/ Cristou/ through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul picks up another key theme from 1:17 here: it is by faith that this justifying activity of God is applied.[8] What is faith? Well, it is being enabled by God to believe the Gospel and to receive and put your trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.
Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those who are discerning listen carefully. The ways of the Lord are true and right, people clothed in God’s righteousness live by walking in them. But sinners stumble and fall. (Hosea 14:9). The righteous live, the sinner dies. If God has given you this righteousness walk in the ways of the Lord, live your lives for God not for this life and this world which is passing away. Share this good news with those around you who are stumbling and falling.
The inclusive phrase for there is no distinction ouv ga,r evstin diastolh, reflects a major point in Paul’s theology, and is followed with the reason for it in verse 23 pa,ntej ga.r h[marton kai. u`sterou/ntai th/j do,xhj tou/ qeou/ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
We so obviously fall short of the glory of God don’t we? We fall short of reflecting His glory, of fully conforming to His image, in which He made us, and of obeying or conforming to His law in any way (cf. 1 Cor. 11:7; 2 Cor. 3:18; 8:23). There is something very wrong with us. We are not as God originally made us, we are fallen, we are corrupted.
But as we see in verse 24, where we read: dikaiou,menoi dwrea.n th/| auvtou/ ca,riti dia. th/j avpolutrw,sewj th/j evn Cristw/| VIhsou/\ being justified as a free gift by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; even though having fallen short, God will provide the righteousness required to justify the sinner, and He will do so freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
The use of the words, free gift dwrea.n and grace ca,riti, with similar meanings, emphasizes the unmerited nature of God’s justifying act. Now, the immediate context in vv.19-20 makes clear the role of the law in pointing to the need for God’s righteousness to be given as a gift. As does King David when he states in Ps. 143:2 that “no one living is righteous before you,” alluding to the need for this righteousness to be a gift.
This free grace does have a price however, for we are not our own, we were bought at a price (cf. 1 Cor. 6:20, 7:23), but it is not paid by men, it comes into operation through avpolutrw,sewj, the redemption, which is in Christ Jesus. God the Son, Jesus, paid the price on our behalf and that price was His own blood on the cross. He gave His life as a ransom for many (cf. Matt. 20:28; Mk. 10:45).
t is free to us because God has paid the ransom price, having purposed from eternity and now set forth Jesus’ blood as that ransom price (v.25). Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, by hanging on the tree in our place (Gal. 3:13). Only God Himself could pay such a high price to justly redeem us.
While we are thinking about what Jesus did for us on the cross, lets consider the following from 1 Peter 2:24. Of Jesus we read: 22"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
What does this mean to you? If our Lord Jesus endured such treatment from sinners and did not retaliate but simply entrusted Himself to His Father shouldn’t we do the same? God is our just Judge and He is in complete control. We often retaliate out of our sinful tendency of being self-defensive but shouldn’t we go straight to God with our problems, our hardships, our battles and leave them with Him?
Likewise, when we have pressing earthly needs shouldn’t we take this straight to God first, rather than thinking it is too big a problem for us. We need to acknowledge who is in control. We worship the Sovereign God. Nothing is too big a problem for God.
Jesus bore our sins so we might die to sins and live for righteousness. How are we living? Does the way you are living reflect this “living for righteousness”? Does the way you respond to earthly needs, difficulties or grumbling or false accusations or persecution or suffering reflect this?
We need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Remember who is in control? Remember that this life is temporary, it is broken and it is perishing. As you go about your work this week, trust in God in all you do and live for righteousness as God’s free people. Set your hearts on things above. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.
There is much more we could say about this wonderful verse, in fact all of these verses, but time unfortunately restricts us, as we now move on to another theologically vital verse in verse 25 which reads: o]n proe,qeto o` qeo.j i`lasth,rion dia. Îth/jÐ pi,stewj evn tw/| auvtou/ ai[mati eivj e;ndeixin th/j dikaiosu,nhj auvtou/ dia. th.n pa,resin tw/n progegono,twn a`marthma,twn whom God purposed as a propitiatory sacrifice, through faith in his blood, in order to demonstrate that this is what is required to right the wrong, because he had been patient with the sins previously committed;
This is God’s doing. God acting to fulfill His plan of salvation. The word proe,qeto purposed or set forth here, reflects the eternal purpose of God to send Jesus to deal with our sin, to be a propitiatory sacrifice.[9] This was always God’s just solution to Adam’s sin.
The word propitiation is important. It has the meaning of atonement. (i`lasth,rion;, propitiation; atonement; mercy seat; The majority preferred translation of i`lasth,rion;, is propitiation or propitiatory sacrifice.)
It has long been associated with the Hebrew word (kapporeth) for mercy seat, the covering of the ark in the Holy of Holies, and is used in the LXX (the Greek translation of the OT) in Exodus 25:17. This clearly links Jesus’ death to the sacrifice[10] on the Day of Atonement, when the blood of animals was sprinkled onto the mercy seat for the purpose of making atonement for the sins of the people.[11] God cannot ignore sin, it must be punished and dealt with. This OT sacrificial practice pointed forward to the only sufficient sacrifice, the once for all sacrifice made by Jesus.
The following quote from a theologian called Donald Macleod is helpful. Referring to redemption and propitiation he says, “Redemption contemplates our bondage and is the provision of grace to release us from that bondage. Propitiation contemplates our liability to the wrath of God and is the provision of grace whereby we may be freed from that wrath” (cf. Rom. 1:18).[12]
We are slaves to sin and we need Jesus to pay the ransom price to redeem us or free us. The problem of God’s just wrath or anger against our sin also needs to be dealt with and it is only done so through propitiation. We are therefore fully justified, and declared righteous all on the basis of Jesus finished work for us on the cross.
Some scholars reject the notion of a wrathful God and they have done so since at least the Enlightenment. As the late Melbourne Anglican theologian Leon Morris explains it, they find the concept of divine wrath so distasteful they try to write it out of Scripture.[13] Therefore some scholars try to avoid the need for an atoning propitiatory sacrifice and use the word expiation, meaning removal of guilt, instead. However, this is not a simple cancellation by God of the penalty for sin. This is a substitutionary atonement, where someone else, Jesus, takes the penalty for our sin on our behalf. God could forgive us all of our sins just by saying so, but that would be against His character. God is just, and therefore He requires justice to be done for each and every sin.
Propitiation provides that justice. It results in the removal (expiation) of guilt, through the offering of an atoning sacrifice.[14] Where expiation wipes away the penalty of sin, propitiation turns away God’s wrath by atoning for the sin. Our sins are effectively expiated by the cross because Jesus has paid the price on our behalf and fully and justly dealt with and removed God’s wrath.
Paul makes it clear that all of mankind is caught up in sinfulness, and Rom. 1:18-3:20 shows that all sinners are subject to the wrath of God. This wrath must be propitiated otherwise people remain under God’s wrath. Scripture confirms this view when Paul says in Romans 5:9, “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”
Now, the use of the words dia. Îth/jÐ pi,stewj, through faith repeats the emphasis of v.22; and propitiation, together with the word ai[mati blood gives us the meaning of the death of Jesus on the cross.[15] It is the blood of Jesus which is the propitiatory sacrifice required by God to forgive the sins of His people. The N.T. makes it clear that Jesus’ blood was the sacrifice God chose to atone for man’s sin. It is through his blood that we have redemption (cf. Eph. 1:7). This notion of penal substitution “takes us to the very heart of the Christian gospel,” says J.I. Packer.[16] “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). [17] It is God who decided and purposed this sacrifice, and it was required because how can God be righteous and yet not punish us for the sins which we commit? It is through propitiation that the love of God achieves its purpose in a way entirely in agreement with the dictates of divine holiness or God’s righteousness.[18]
As Puritan writer Stephen Charnock wrote, “There can be no gospel unless there is such a thing as a righteousness of God for the ungodly. But just as little can there be any gospel unless the integrity of God’s character is maintained. The problem of the sinful world, the problem of all religion, the problem of God in dealing with a sinful race, is how to unite these two things. The Christian answer to the problem is given by Paul in the words: ‘Jesus Christ, whom God set forth a propitiation in his blood.”[19] The righteousness of God mentioned in Rom.3 vv 25 and 26 is the inherent justice of God, and justification demands nothing less than the propitiation made in Jesus’ blood. This atonement meets and removes the judgment of God’s wrath.[20]
We see that this gift of salvation from God is not only something that absolves us, pardons us, frees us and acquits us of our sins, but it does something extra. There is the negative aspect but then there is the positive aspect: God, His wrath fully dealt with, clothes us in His righteousness, in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. This righteousness is imputed to us, so God’s Holy Spirit is able to live in our hearts and we are able to stand before a just and holy God, even though we remain as sinners until the day we leave this earth.
When God looks upon the saved sinner He sees His Son’s perfect righteousness. Surely this must make us thankful. One of the marks of a Christian is thankfulness, a deep gratitude which flows from the heart and which should be expressed in our daily lives, in the way we relate with God and with mankind. We should quickly be able to “forgive those who trespass against us,” as we ourselves have been forgiven. We should not hold grudges, we should show forgiveness and love.
Is there anyone you are harbouring a grudge against? Can you do something about that this coming week, to show God how grateful you are that He has forgiven you, that He does not hold a grudge against you?
Now verse 26 reads: evn th/| avnoch/| tou/ qeou/( pro.j th.n e;ndeixin th/j dikaiosu,nhj auvtou/ evn tw/| nu/n kairw/|( eivj to. ei=nai auvto.n di,kaion kai. dikaiou/nta to.n evk pi,stewj VIhsou/Å in the forbearance of God, to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
God is called righteous by the apostle because he is both just and because he justifies the unrighteous.[21] God does not overlook sin but rather He is patient and merciful, longsuffering, and slow to anger. He has now dealt with the problem of sin, even though He attributed His righteousness to past sinners, such as Abraham and Moses, who He chose to save before He revealed His righteousness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 14:16 and 17:30 may help us with the meaning of avnoch/| “the forbearance of God.”) So we see that justification is at the heart of this whole passage. Paul outlines the revelation, the source, and the means of justification. Individuals can and are only justified by this righteousness of God here explained in Scripture.
The Gospel:
Now we come back to those four words I mentioned earlier. Keep these in mind as you come across opportunities to share the good news of this free gift of eternal life with God through trusting in Jesus:
1- God. God is our holy, perfect, loving, merciful and just Creator. He made you, and whether you acknowledge it yet or not He owns you. He made you to worship Him and to bring glory to Him with your lives and in so doing to truly enjoy Him and your life here on earth and for eternity. He watches over you like a loving Father and wants to have a living relationship with His people.
2- Sin. All mankind, every man, woman and child has sinned and fallen short of what God requires of them. This disrupts our relationship with our Creator God. Because of His holiness He cannot be in our presence in our sinful, fallen state. Isaiah 59:2 says: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” Mankind is lost and cut off from our loving Father and our desperate need is to be made right with Him, to be saved from our slavery to sin and reconciled to Him. Without this we are cut off for all eternity. Romans 3:20 tells us that there is absolutely nothing we can do to bring about, earn or deserve this salvation and reconciliation by ourselves.
3- Jesus. Jesus Christ is the only hope we have. He offers us the only way for sinful mankind to be reconciled to our Creator. Jesus is God the Son made man, who entered this world as a human being in such a way that He was not tainted with Adam’s original sin, and who lived a perfect sinless life and who died the perfect sacrifice for sinners, taking the guilt of mankind upon Himself and enduring and bearing God’s wrath and judgement on the cross on behalf of sinners, so they could be reconciled to God. “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18). His death satisfied God’s just wrath, or anger against sin. Jesus then rose from the dead proving that He was victorious. Having defeated sin, death and the devil He then ascended to heaven and is enthroned and reigns as our Sovereign Lord and King. Only God Himself could do this, could satisfy His own justice.
4- You. What is your response to this? The only rational response is for you to receive this free gift of salvation and be reconciled to your Creator, through faith, trusting in Jesus Christ and what He has done for you on the cross. Then to repent or turn from your rebellion and submit yourself fully to God as He has revealed Himself in His Word the Bible. If you put your trust in Jesus then you are reconciled to your Creator. You are saved and have eternal life in the presence of God.
So, that is a way to explain the Gospel in a short, easy to share format.
In light of all of this, of this great love and mercy shown to us by our just Creator we could ask ourselves the question every morning: “How then shall we live today?”
The Apostle John (6:27-40) tells us, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”
In John 6:32 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Jesus has declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. … 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
If you do not know God. If you have not put your trust in Jesus. If you have not looked to the Son and trusted in Him and received eternal life, I urge you to not delay, to not put off seeking the truth about Jesus. Act on it today, ask Jesus for it and receive this precious gift of true life from your Creator, from the One who made you, who owns you, who loves you and who wants to have a living relationship with you.
If you have already looked to Jesus in complete trust then you are made alive in Christ. Whereas before: “you were dead in your transgressions and sins,… gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Whereas before you “were by nature objects of wrath.” But now, “because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved…, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:1-9):
Jesus Christ and His atoning death on the cross is at the centre of God’s plan to redeem His creation and a people for Himself by justly dealing with sin and reconciling sinners to Himself. Let us therefore live out our earthly lives reflecting the love and mercy which our Redeemer God has shown to us.
As Abraham asked, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" (Gen. 18:25) We know that God's holy nature requires justice, we must be judged for our sins for them to be removed, the judgment being eternal death (Rom. 6:23). We also know that God is love. We know that He loved the world so much that He sent His Son to die for His people's sins (John 3:16). Jesus died as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29b).
We are justly saved because of God's perfect plan of salvation demonstrating His perfect justice and His perfect mercy.
Therefore, being saved from eternal death, saved for Jesus’ name sake, and saved to a new life in Christ Jesus, let us live out our earthly lives in light of this reality, seeking the fullness of joy in glorifying our loving, just and merciful God.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)
References:
[1] D. J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996), 33.
[2] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, quoted in: Moo, 221.
[3] Moo, 221.
[4] righteousness, uprightness Mt. 5:6; Acts 24:25; Rom. 9:30; Phil. 3:6; Tit. 3:5; religious requirement Mt. 3:15. Mercy, charitableness Mt. 6:1; 2 Cor. 9:9f. Justice, equity Acts 17:31; Heb. 11:33., dikaiosu,nh approaches the sense Christianity Mt. 5:10; Heb. 5:13; 1 Pt. 2:24; 3:14. poiei/n dikaiosu,nh do what is right 1 Jn. 2:29; Rev. 22:11.
[5] We see dikaiosu,nh occurring four times as “righteousness” (vv.21, 22, 25, 26), twice as the related verb dikaio,w “justify”(vv.24, 26), and once as the adjective di,kaioj “just” (v.26). The use of the word climaxes in v.26 in which it is used three times.
[6] M. Luther, Commentary on Romans (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1976),76; M. Luther, Luther’s Works Vol. 25 (Saint Louis: Concordia, 1972), 249.
[7] J. Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries XIX (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003), 138.
[8] It has the same force as “from faith to faith” in 1:17, but is now more fully defined as faith in Jesus Christ. Murray, 111.
[9] Davies, 111.
[10] Some N.T. references showing that Jesus’ death was the atoning sacrifice include: Lk. 22:20; 1 Pet. 2;21-24, 3:18; Mk. 10:45; Rom. 3:21-26, 5:6-11, 6:23, 8:3-4; Gal. 3:13, 5:1; 1 Cor. 6:20, 15:55-57; 2 Cor. 5:20, 21; 6:21; Eph. 1:7, 2:14-18; Col. 2:15; Heb. 1:3, 2:17, 9:25-28; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 John 4:10; Rev. 1:5, 22:3.
[11] Lloyd-Jones, 68.
[12] D. Macleod, From Glory to Golgotha (Ross-shire: Christian Focus, 2002), 119.
[13] Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, 180.
[14] I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer and D. J. Wiseman, New Bible Dictionary (Leicester: IVP, 2003), 975; Propitiation means to appease, to placate, to avert wrath, to atone. John Owen states four essential elements in any propitiation: 1- An offence to be taken away; 2- A person offended who needs to be pacified; 3- An offending person guilty of the offence; 4- A sacrifice or some other means of making atonement for the offence: D. M. Lloyd-Jones, Romans- Exposition of Chapters 3:20-4:25 (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1998), 70.
[15] Lloyd-Jones, 67; L. Morris, The Cross in the New Testament (Exeter: Paternoster, 1976), 218.
[16] J. I. Packer, “What Did the Cross Achieve? The Logic of Penal Substitution,” Tyndale Bulletin 25 (1974), 3.
[17] The sacrifice/means of atonement must be chosen by God, not subjectively by the one in need of forgiveness (Job 15:14-16; Is. 53:6, 64:6; Prov. 15:8; Rom. 10:2-3). He prescribes it and exacts it: R. Letham, The Work of Christ (Downers Grove: IVP, 1993), 132.
[18] R. R. Nicole: “C. H. Dodd and the Doctrine of Propitiation,” Westminster Theological Journal 17 (1955), 151.
[19] Jesus has appeased God’s wrath (cf.1:18) by dying on the cross. He was “ordained to be put into the state and condition of a sinner in our stead; not into the practical and experimental state of sin, but the penal state of a sinner, to be sacrificed for it, not to be polluted with it.” J. Denney, The Death of Christ (Carlisle, Cumbria: Paternoster Press, 1997), 98; S. Charnock, Christ Crucified. A Puritan’s View of the Atonement (Ross-shire:Christian Focus, 2002), 29.
[20] Murray, The Epistle to the Romans, 120.
[21] Luther, 249.
CM’s Translation from Greek NT: Romans 3:21-26
V21 But now, apart from the law, righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified to by the law and the prophets,
V22 righteousness of God which is through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe; for there is no distinction;
V23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
V24 being justified as a free gift by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
V25 whom God purposed as a propitiatory sacrifice, through faith in his blood, in order to demonstrate that this is what is required to right the wrong, because he had been patient with the sins previously committed;
V26 in the forbearance of God, to demonstrate his righteousness now at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
NIV 21"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[a] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26).
Known as the ‘heart of the Gospel’, this passage is rich in meaning and has played a central role in theological studies for centuries. In fact, Martin Luther, called this passage, that is Romans 3:21-26, “the chief point, and the very central place of the Epistle to the Romans, and of the whole Bible.” [1]
So why is it famous and so central to the Gospel? Well, in these few verses the apostle Paul explains how people can be made right with God, through a righteousness which comes from God Himself.
Paul first talks about this righteousness of God in Romans 1:17, where he says; “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Paul here touches on the revelation of this righteousness from God, its historical witness, its source, and the means of receiving it. Using the word dikaiosu,nh righteousness seven times emphasizes it as the central theme of this passage. The righteousness of God must include the inherent justice of God, and so we also see how justification therefore requires nothing less than complete atonement for sins, thereby dealing with God’s justice and wrath.
Following 3:9-20 which outlines the guilt of all humanity and concludes Paul’s in-depth emphasis on the universal nature of sin (from 1:18-3:20), we now arrive at God’s answer to this desperate state of all mankind, “justification by faith” (in 3:21-4:25). The manner of securing this righteousness, “by faith alone” is further emphasized in 3:27-4:25.
We see here that Jesus Christ and His atoning death on the cross is at the centre of God’s plan to redeem His creation by justly dealing with sin and reconciling sinners to Himself. Here we find the very good news of God’s way of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.
All humanity needs the righteousness of and from God revealed in the gospel (1:17), because all are under sin (3:9), and none are righteous (3:10, 12). Having demonstrated how the law operates to convict people of sin (3:19-20), Paul here in 3:21-26 shows how this righteousness of God is provided as the solution.
Now, as we come to look more closely at our passage we see that we really are dealing with: The Heart of the Gospel.
We hear that term all the time don’t we, the “Gospel,” and we often just assume that everyone knows what it means. It needs to be explained every now and then though for the benefit of those unfamiliar with it and also for Christians to help them to be able to verbalize and to share the Gospel with others. So what is the Gospel?
The Gospel:
The Gospel is the good news in answer to the bad news of mankind’s rebellion against God and His authority. This rebellion is called sin and the consequences of sin are physical and eternal death, separation from God forever. The reason for such dire consequences is because of God’s holiness and justice and His just wrath against all sin and the need for this wrath to be dealt with justly to fulfill God’s justice.
Here are four words you can try and remember which may help you to share the Gospel with others. As we go through the passage keep in mind these four words and then after we briefly look at the passage we will go through them: The four words are God; Sin; Jesus; You.
The Hopeless Condition of Mankind:
Now, let’s start by following Paul’s example and firstly highlight this hopeless condition of Man, apart from God’s mercy and grace. When I say Man, I refer equally to men, women and children. Salvation implies that there is something to be saved from. What is it that we need to be saved from? In Romans 1:17 Paul tells us about this righteousness of God being revealed. But why do we need this righteousness from God? Well, Paul goes on in verse 18 to tell us why: “18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.”
To counter the wrath of God is one reason that we need this righteousness of God. But why is God, who we know is a God of love, so filled with wrath or anger? Well, as much as God is a God of love and mercy He is also a very just and holy God who hates sin. His very justice and holiness requires that sin is responded to with His wrath. Only God could provide a just solution to the problem of human guilt and sin. Only God’s divine righteousness itself could appease His divine wrath.
It is from our slavery to sin and from the full force of God’s wrath in response to sin that we need to be saved. Now, no one likes to talk about sin these days do they? People prefer to think kindly about themselves and to blame others or their circumstances for their own bad behaviour. They might say things like: “Well, sure I have sinned, but not as much as so and so.” Or they may say: “Basically I am not a bad person”. But that is not what Scripture reveals about us is it?
So, what is sin? Sin is disobeying or not conforming to God’s law in any way. When God made man He made Adam and Eve as righteous beings who enjoyed a direct and close relationship with Him. Everything was perfect and they walked together with God in the Garden of Eden.
But then because of Adam and Eve’s first sin they fell from their original righteousness and were banished from the Garden and no longer walked with or in the presence of God. This is called original sin and it is transferred to all mankind since Adam. Then there is what is termed actual sin, which are the sins of word, deed and thought which each of us commit every day.
God is so pure and holy that He equates anger and hatred with murder and lust with adultery. We are all sinners. This is our human condition, our big problem, which has caused all mankind to be separated from our Creator. Our big need is to be reconciled to our Creator.
The wages of sin is death, both physical and spiritual death for all eternity. Sin is not just something which affects life after death however, it is something which impacts on this life in a big way as well. The consequences of every little sin we commit are immense. Sin debilitates, devastates and destroys. Our sins are a burden to us, they destroy relationships and they devastate lives.
Ezekiel 33 vv 10-11 tell us that, "Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them." But our loving Creator God says: 11 “ 'As surely as I live, …, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live." How are we to do that? How can we do that all by ourselves? Well, we can’t! That’s part of our problem. But thankfully God can!
Now we come to those sweet sounding words at the beginning of verse 21: “But now”.
V21 But now, apart from the law, righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified to by the law and the prophets,
“There are no more wonderful words in the whole of Scripture than just these two words ‘But now,’ ” said Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.[2] They signal the reality that the cross is the point of transition between the old era of sin’s domination and the new era of salvation through “the righteousness of God.”[3] It heralds the solution to man’s problem, to man’s fallen condition. As we have already discussed, there is something terribly wrong with each of us isn’t there. We are corrupted and we live in a fallen world. But now, we see the solution to our dire situation.
The following words apart from the law reiterate the shift represented by “but now,” and together with the phrase “righteousness of God” indicates the relationship of this manifestation of God’s righteousness to the O.T. As John Murray says, it displays “the combination of continuity and discontinuity in salvation history that is characteristic of Romans.” It also shows that righteousness is in no way available by works of the law or any human effort (cf. v.28 and 4:6).
The law, referring to the whole Judaistic system of ceremonial observances and worship laid down in the OT, cannot save (3:19-20) but the gospel is not contrary to the law, and the law is not nullified, as Paul makes clear in v.31. Paul’s point is that righteousness cannot come from obedience to the O.T. law, and he goes on in other parts of Romans (cf. 3:27-31; 4:15; 5:13, 20; 6:14; ch.7) to explain this in depth. In this justification there can be no contribution given by works of the law. There is simply nothing fallen man can do to pick himself up and reconcile himself to his Creator.
With the phrase dikaiosu,nh[4] qeou/ righteousness of God, we find the heart of the passage as demonstrated by its repeated and varied use.[5] In a passage full of important theological terms, the phrase ‘righteousness of God’ [dikaiosu,nh qeou/] quite obviously stands out. Many theologians have called it the fundamental concept and theme of the entire letter to the Romans. This righteousness from God mentioned as being revealed in 1:17 and contrasted with the revelation of God’s wrath in 1:18, is now expanded upon.
Augustine succinctly describes “the righteousness of God” as: “that with which he clothes a person when He justifies the ungodly.”[6] Luther says that “‘righteousness of God’ (v.21) is a term which describes that by which He makes us righteous, just as the wisdom of God is that by which He makes us wise.”
God says in Isaiah 46:13, “I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed.” This shows us that righteousness equates to salvation being what is required for man to live and be reconciled to God (cf. Hab. 2:4). It is what God is, what he requires from us and what he gives to us freely as he knows we can’t achieve it ourselves. The next important phrase in this verse, verse 21 is: being testified to by the law and the prophets.
Romans 3:20 states: “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” The OT law and prophets point to, and toward our need of, God’s righteousness. God’s word reveals clearly that God is holy and He cannot ignore sin; man is not holy and cannot achieve righteousness or holiness by himself and so needs God’s righteousness to be bestowed as a gift in order to be saved. The truth of justification by grace through faith is evident throughout Scripture.
As we see in verse 22 where we read: righteousness of God which is through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe; for there is no distinction; this righteousness cannot be fully realized apart from faith in Jesus, toward whom the law and the prophets testify.
As John Calvin points out, “The origin of this righteousness is from God and it is made manifest to us in Christ.”[7] Now that the righteousness of God has been revealed (v.21) it must be believed, something which requires hearing the Gospel (10:14) followed by obedience which comes from faith (1:5). This applies to both Jew and Gentile. Rom 1:16 says “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
This righteousness of God is only available to individuals dia. pi,stewj VIhsou/ Cristou/ through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul picks up another key theme from 1:17 here: it is by faith that this justifying activity of God is applied.[8] What is faith? Well, it is being enabled by God to believe the Gospel and to receive and put your trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.
Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those who are discerning listen carefully. The ways of the Lord are true and right, people clothed in God’s righteousness live by walking in them. But sinners stumble and fall. (Hosea 14:9). The righteous live, the sinner dies. If God has given you this righteousness walk in the ways of the Lord, live your lives for God not for this life and this world which is passing away. Share this good news with those around you who are stumbling and falling.
The inclusive phrase for there is no distinction ouv ga,r evstin diastolh, reflects a major point in Paul’s theology, and is followed with the reason for it in verse 23 pa,ntej ga.r h[marton kai. u`sterou/ntai th/j do,xhj tou/ qeou/ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
We so obviously fall short of the glory of God don’t we? We fall short of reflecting His glory, of fully conforming to His image, in which He made us, and of obeying or conforming to His law in any way (cf. 1 Cor. 11:7; 2 Cor. 3:18; 8:23). There is something very wrong with us. We are not as God originally made us, we are fallen, we are corrupted.
But as we see in verse 24, where we read: dikaiou,menoi dwrea.n th/| auvtou/ ca,riti dia. th/j avpolutrw,sewj th/j evn Cristw/| VIhsou/\ being justified as a free gift by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; even though having fallen short, God will provide the righteousness required to justify the sinner, and He will do so freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
The use of the words, free gift dwrea.n and grace ca,riti, with similar meanings, emphasizes the unmerited nature of God’s justifying act. Now, the immediate context in vv.19-20 makes clear the role of the law in pointing to the need for God’s righteousness to be given as a gift. As does King David when he states in Ps. 143:2 that “no one living is righteous before you,” alluding to the need for this righteousness to be a gift.
This free grace does have a price however, for we are not our own, we were bought at a price (cf. 1 Cor. 6:20, 7:23), but it is not paid by men, it comes into operation through avpolutrw,sewj, the redemption, which is in Christ Jesus. God the Son, Jesus, paid the price on our behalf and that price was His own blood on the cross. He gave His life as a ransom for many (cf. Matt. 20:28; Mk. 10:45).
t is free to us because God has paid the ransom price, having purposed from eternity and now set forth Jesus’ blood as that ransom price (v.25). Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, by hanging on the tree in our place (Gal. 3:13). Only God Himself could pay such a high price to justly redeem us.
While we are thinking about what Jesus did for us on the cross, lets consider the following from 1 Peter 2:24. Of Jesus we read: 22"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
What does this mean to you? If our Lord Jesus endured such treatment from sinners and did not retaliate but simply entrusted Himself to His Father shouldn’t we do the same? God is our just Judge and He is in complete control. We often retaliate out of our sinful tendency of being self-defensive but shouldn’t we go straight to God with our problems, our hardships, our battles and leave them with Him?
Likewise, when we have pressing earthly needs shouldn’t we take this straight to God first, rather than thinking it is too big a problem for us. We need to acknowledge who is in control. We worship the Sovereign God. Nothing is too big a problem for God.
Jesus bore our sins so we might die to sins and live for righteousness. How are we living? Does the way you are living reflect this “living for righteousness”? Does the way you respond to earthly needs, difficulties or grumbling or false accusations or persecution or suffering reflect this?
We need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Remember who is in control? Remember that this life is temporary, it is broken and it is perishing. As you go about your work this week, trust in God in all you do and live for righteousness as God’s free people. Set your hearts on things above. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.
There is much more we could say about this wonderful verse, in fact all of these verses, but time unfortunately restricts us, as we now move on to another theologically vital verse in verse 25 which reads: o]n proe,qeto o` qeo.j i`lasth,rion dia. Îth/jÐ pi,stewj evn tw/| auvtou/ ai[mati eivj e;ndeixin th/j dikaiosu,nhj auvtou/ dia. th.n pa,resin tw/n progegono,twn a`marthma,twn whom God purposed as a propitiatory sacrifice, through faith in his blood, in order to demonstrate that this is what is required to right the wrong, because he had been patient with the sins previously committed;
This is God’s doing. God acting to fulfill His plan of salvation. The word proe,qeto purposed or set forth here, reflects the eternal purpose of God to send Jesus to deal with our sin, to be a propitiatory sacrifice.[9] This was always God’s just solution to Adam’s sin.
The word propitiation is important. It has the meaning of atonement. (i`lasth,rion;, propitiation; atonement; mercy seat; The majority preferred translation of i`lasth,rion;, is propitiation or propitiatory sacrifice.)
It has long been associated with the Hebrew word (kapporeth) for mercy seat, the covering of the ark in the Holy of Holies, and is used in the LXX (the Greek translation of the OT) in Exodus 25:17. This clearly links Jesus’ death to the sacrifice[10] on the Day of Atonement, when the blood of animals was sprinkled onto the mercy seat for the purpose of making atonement for the sins of the people.[11] God cannot ignore sin, it must be punished and dealt with. This OT sacrificial practice pointed forward to the only sufficient sacrifice, the once for all sacrifice made by Jesus.
The following quote from a theologian called Donald Macleod is helpful. Referring to redemption and propitiation he says, “Redemption contemplates our bondage and is the provision of grace to release us from that bondage. Propitiation contemplates our liability to the wrath of God and is the provision of grace whereby we may be freed from that wrath” (cf. Rom. 1:18).[12]
We are slaves to sin and we need Jesus to pay the ransom price to redeem us or free us. The problem of God’s just wrath or anger against our sin also needs to be dealt with and it is only done so through propitiation. We are therefore fully justified, and declared righteous all on the basis of Jesus finished work for us on the cross.
Some scholars reject the notion of a wrathful God and they have done so since at least the Enlightenment. As the late Melbourne Anglican theologian Leon Morris explains it, they find the concept of divine wrath so distasteful they try to write it out of Scripture.[13] Therefore some scholars try to avoid the need for an atoning propitiatory sacrifice and use the word expiation, meaning removal of guilt, instead. However, this is not a simple cancellation by God of the penalty for sin. This is a substitutionary atonement, where someone else, Jesus, takes the penalty for our sin on our behalf. God could forgive us all of our sins just by saying so, but that would be against His character. God is just, and therefore He requires justice to be done for each and every sin.
Propitiation provides that justice. It results in the removal (expiation) of guilt, through the offering of an atoning sacrifice.[14] Where expiation wipes away the penalty of sin, propitiation turns away God’s wrath by atoning for the sin. Our sins are effectively expiated by the cross because Jesus has paid the price on our behalf and fully and justly dealt with and removed God’s wrath.
Paul makes it clear that all of mankind is caught up in sinfulness, and Rom. 1:18-3:20 shows that all sinners are subject to the wrath of God. This wrath must be propitiated otherwise people remain under God’s wrath. Scripture confirms this view when Paul says in Romans 5:9, “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”
Now, the use of the words dia. Îth/jÐ pi,stewj, through faith repeats the emphasis of v.22; and propitiation, together with the word ai[mati blood gives us the meaning of the death of Jesus on the cross.[15] It is the blood of Jesus which is the propitiatory sacrifice required by God to forgive the sins of His people. The N.T. makes it clear that Jesus’ blood was the sacrifice God chose to atone for man’s sin. It is through his blood that we have redemption (cf. Eph. 1:7). This notion of penal substitution “takes us to the very heart of the Christian gospel,” says J.I. Packer.[16] “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). [17] It is God who decided and purposed this sacrifice, and it was required because how can God be righteous and yet not punish us for the sins which we commit? It is through propitiation that the love of God achieves its purpose in a way entirely in agreement with the dictates of divine holiness or God’s righteousness.[18]
As Puritan writer Stephen Charnock wrote, “There can be no gospel unless there is such a thing as a righteousness of God for the ungodly. But just as little can there be any gospel unless the integrity of God’s character is maintained. The problem of the sinful world, the problem of all religion, the problem of God in dealing with a sinful race, is how to unite these two things. The Christian answer to the problem is given by Paul in the words: ‘Jesus Christ, whom God set forth a propitiation in his blood.”[19] The righteousness of God mentioned in Rom.3 vv 25 and 26 is the inherent justice of God, and justification demands nothing less than the propitiation made in Jesus’ blood. This atonement meets and removes the judgment of God’s wrath.[20]
We see that this gift of salvation from God is not only something that absolves us, pardons us, frees us and acquits us of our sins, but it does something extra. There is the negative aspect but then there is the positive aspect: God, His wrath fully dealt with, clothes us in His righteousness, in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. This righteousness is imputed to us, so God’s Holy Spirit is able to live in our hearts and we are able to stand before a just and holy God, even though we remain as sinners until the day we leave this earth.
When God looks upon the saved sinner He sees His Son’s perfect righteousness. Surely this must make us thankful. One of the marks of a Christian is thankfulness, a deep gratitude which flows from the heart and which should be expressed in our daily lives, in the way we relate with God and with mankind. We should quickly be able to “forgive those who trespass against us,” as we ourselves have been forgiven. We should not hold grudges, we should show forgiveness and love.
Is there anyone you are harbouring a grudge against? Can you do something about that this coming week, to show God how grateful you are that He has forgiven you, that He does not hold a grudge against you?
Now verse 26 reads: evn th/| avnoch/| tou/ qeou/( pro.j th.n e;ndeixin th/j dikaiosu,nhj auvtou/ evn tw/| nu/n kairw/|( eivj to. ei=nai auvto.n di,kaion kai. dikaiou/nta to.n evk pi,stewj VIhsou/Å in the forbearance of God, to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
God is called righteous by the apostle because he is both just and because he justifies the unrighteous.[21] God does not overlook sin but rather He is patient and merciful, longsuffering, and slow to anger. He has now dealt with the problem of sin, even though He attributed His righteousness to past sinners, such as Abraham and Moses, who He chose to save before He revealed His righteousness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 14:16 and 17:30 may help us with the meaning of avnoch/| “the forbearance of God.”) So we see that justification is at the heart of this whole passage. Paul outlines the revelation, the source, and the means of justification. Individuals can and are only justified by this righteousness of God here explained in Scripture.
The Gospel:
Now we come back to those four words I mentioned earlier. Keep these in mind as you come across opportunities to share the good news of this free gift of eternal life with God through trusting in Jesus:
1- God. God is our holy, perfect, loving, merciful and just Creator. He made you, and whether you acknowledge it yet or not He owns you. He made you to worship Him and to bring glory to Him with your lives and in so doing to truly enjoy Him and your life here on earth and for eternity. He watches over you like a loving Father and wants to have a living relationship with His people.
2- Sin. All mankind, every man, woman and child has sinned and fallen short of what God requires of them. This disrupts our relationship with our Creator God. Because of His holiness He cannot be in our presence in our sinful, fallen state. Isaiah 59:2 says: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” Mankind is lost and cut off from our loving Father and our desperate need is to be made right with Him, to be saved from our slavery to sin and reconciled to Him. Without this we are cut off for all eternity. Romans 3:20 tells us that there is absolutely nothing we can do to bring about, earn or deserve this salvation and reconciliation by ourselves.
3- Jesus. Jesus Christ is the only hope we have. He offers us the only way for sinful mankind to be reconciled to our Creator. Jesus is God the Son made man, who entered this world as a human being in such a way that He was not tainted with Adam’s original sin, and who lived a perfect sinless life and who died the perfect sacrifice for sinners, taking the guilt of mankind upon Himself and enduring and bearing God’s wrath and judgement on the cross on behalf of sinners, so they could be reconciled to God. “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18). His death satisfied God’s just wrath, or anger against sin. Jesus then rose from the dead proving that He was victorious. Having defeated sin, death and the devil He then ascended to heaven and is enthroned and reigns as our Sovereign Lord and King. Only God Himself could do this, could satisfy His own justice.
4- You. What is your response to this? The only rational response is for you to receive this free gift of salvation and be reconciled to your Creator, through faith, trusting in Jesus Christ and what He has done for you on the cross. Then to repent or turn from your rebellion and submit yourself fully to God as He has revealed Himself in His Word the Bible. If you put your trust in Jesus then you are reconciled to your Creator. You are saved and have eternal life in the presence of God.
So, that is a way to explain the Gospel in a short, easy to share format.
In light of all of this, of this great love and mercy shown to us by our just Creator we could ask ourselves the question every morning: “How then shall we live today?”
The Apostle John (6:27-40) tells us, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”
In John 6:32 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Jesus has declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. … 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
If you do not know God. If you have not put your trust in Jesus. If you have not looked to the Son and trusted in Him and received eternal life, I urge you to not delay, to not put off seeking the truth about Jesus. Act on it today, ask Jesus for it and receive this precious gift of true life from your Creator, from the One who made you, who owns you, who loves you and who wants to have a living relationship with you.
If you have already looked to Jesus in complete trust then you are made alive in Christ. Whereas before: “you were dead in your transgressions and sins,… gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Whereas before you “were by nature objects of wrath.” But now, “because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved…, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:1-9):
Jesus Christ and His atoning death on the cross is at the centre of God’s plan to redeem His creation and a people for Himself by justly dealing with sin and reconciling sinners to Himself. Let us therefore live out our earthly lives reflecting the love and mercy which our Redeemer God has shown to us.
As Abraham asked, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" (Gen. 18:25) We know that God's holy nature requires justice, we must be judged for our sins for them to be removed, the judgment being eternal death (Rom. 6:23). We also know that God is love. We know that He loved the world so much that He sent His Son to die for His people's sins (John 3:16). Jesus died as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29b).
We are justly saved because of God's perfect plan of salvation demonstrating His perfect justice and His perfect mercy.
Therefore, being saved from eternal death, saved for Jesus’ name sake, and saved to a new life in Christ Jesus, let us live out our earthly lives in light of this reality, seeking the fullness of joy in glorifying our loving, just and merciful God.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)
References:
[1] D. J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996), 33.
[2] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, quoted in: Moo, 221.
[3] Moo, 221.
[4] righteousness, uprightness Mt. 5:6; Acts 24:25; Rom. 9:30; Phil. 3:6; Tit. 3:5; religious requirement Mt. 3:15. Mercy, charitableness Mt. 6:1; 2 Cor. 9:9f. Justice, equity Acts 17:31; Heb. 11:33., dikaiosu,nh approaches the sense Christianity Mt. 5:10; Heb. 5:13; 1 Pt. 2:24; 3:14. poiei/n dikaiosu,nh do what is right 1 Jn. 2:29; Rev. 22:11.
[5] We see dikaiosu,nh occurring four times as “righteousness” (vv.21, 22, 25, 26), twice as the related verb dikaio,w “justify”(vv.24, 26), and once as the adjective di,kaioj “just” (v.26). The use of the word climaxes in v.26 in which it is used three times.
[6] M. Luther, Commentary on Romans (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1976),76; M. Luther, Luther’s Works Vol. 25 (Saint Louis: Concordia, 1972), 249.
[7] J. Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries XIX (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003), 138.
[8] It has the same force as “from faith to faith” in 1:17, but is now more fully defined as faith in Jesus Christ. Murray, 111.
[9] Davies, 111.
[10] Some N.T. references showing that Jesus’ death was the atoning sacrifice include: Lk. 22:20; 1 Pet. 2;21-24, 3:18; Mk. 10:45; Rom. 3:21-26, 5:6-11, 6:23, 8:3-4; Gal. 3:13, 5:1; 1 Cor. 6:20, 15:55-57; 2 Cor. 5:20, 21; 6:21; Eph. 1:7, 2:14-18; Col. 2:15; Heb. 1:3, 2:17, 9:25-28; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 John 4:10; Rev. 1:5, 22:3.
[11] Lloyd-Jones, 68.
[12] D. Macleod, From Glory to Golgotha (Ross-shire: Christian Focus, 2002), 119.
[13] Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, 180.
[14] I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer and D. J. Wiseman, New Bible Dictionary (Leicester: IVP, 2003), 975; Propitiation means to appease, to placate, to avert wrath, to atone. John Owen states four essential elements in any propitiation: 1- An offence to be taken away; 2- A person offended who needs to be pacified; 3- An offending person guilty of the offence; 4- A sacrifice or some other means of making atonement for the offence: D. M. Lloyd-Jones, Romans- Exposition of Chapters 3:20-4:25 (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1998), 70.
[15] Lloyd-Jones, 67; L. Morris, The Cross in the New Testament (Exeter: Paternoster, 1976), 218.
[16] J. I. Packer, “What Did the Cross Achieve? The Logic of Penal Substitution,” Tyndale Bulletin 25 (1974), 3.
[17] The sacrifice/means of atonement must be chosen by God, not subjectively by the one in need of forgiveness (Job 15:14-16; Is. 53:6, 64:6; Prov. 15:8; Rom. 10:2-3). He prescribes it and exacts it: R. Letham, The Work of Christ (Downers Grove: IVP, 1993), 132.
[18] R. R. Nicole: “C. H. Dodd and the Doctrine of Propitiation,” Westminster Theological Journal 17 (1955), 151.
[19] Jesus has appeased God’s wrath (cf.1:18) by dying on the cross. He was “ordained to be put into the state and condition of a sinner in our stead; not into the practical and experimental state of sin, but the penal state of a sinner, to be sacrificed for it, not to be polluted with it.” J. Denney, The Death of Christ (Carlisle, Cumbria: Paternoster Press, 1997), 98; S. Charnock, Christ Crucified. A Puritan’s View of the Atonement (Ross-shire:Christian Focus, 2002), 29.
[20] Murray, The Epistle to the Romans, 120.
[21] Luther, 249.
CM’s Translation from Greek NT: Romans 3:21-26
V21 But now, apart from the law, righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified to by the law and the prophets,
V22 righteousness of God which is through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe; for there is no distinction;
V23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
V24 being justified as a free gift by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
V25 whom God purposed as a propitiatory sacrifice, through faith in his blood, in order to demonstrate that this is what is required to right the wrong, because he had been patient with the sins previously committed;
V26 in the forbearance of God, to demonstrate his righteousness now at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.