“God’s Righteousness Through Faith” Pt 2

Romans 3:21–31 CSB

21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, attested by the Law and the Prophets. 22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. 26 God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law of faith. 28 For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

PRAY

LAST WEEK we began looking at THREE FOUNDATIONAL STONES of the GOSPEL: the Revealing of the Righteousness of God - (3:21-22b), the Justification of Sinners by Grace - (3:22c-25b), and the Demonstration of the Righteousness of God - (3:25c-26)!

We began with…

I. The Revealing of the Righteousness of God - (3:21-22a)

In (1:18-3:20), we have seen “God’s wrath revealed,” in this section (3:21-8:39) we now see “God’s righteousness” revealed!

“But now…”

A. The Righteousness of God is REVEALED Apart from the Law! - (v.21)

B. The Righteousness of God is RECEIVED by Faith - (3:22a)

(v.22b) - “…through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe,”

Romans 3:22 NLT

22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

This truth is a great first stone in our foundation! The SECOND is…

II. The Justification of Sinners by Grace - (3:22b-25b)

A. The Universality of Sin - (v.22b)

“…since there is no distinction.” (NIV) - “…For there is no difference”

1. “For all have sinned…” - (3:23a)

Romans 11:32 CSB

32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all.

Confession of sin is FOUNDATIONAL to salvation from sin!

1 John 1:8–10 CSB

8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

2. “…and fall short of the glory of God;” - (3:23b)

God’s glory is something we will “fall short” of NOW, yet the hope/promise is that one day we will ALL EXPERIENCE HIS GLORY!

2 Thessalonians 2:14 CSB

14 He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

B. Justification as a Gift by His Grace - (vv.24a-25a)

(v.24a) - “they are justified freely through his grace…”

δικαιούμενοι - ‘justify, render innocent, pronounce righteous’

δωρεὰν - ‘freely, without cause, without reason, undeservedly’

Titus 3:5 CSB

5 he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

HOW?

1. “…through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” - (v.24b)

διὰ τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως - ‘release, redemption, deliverance’

Ephesians 1:7 CSB

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

Mounce - “The basis for this redemptive process is Christ Jesus. The gospel centers in the atoning work of God’s unique and only Son. Redemption is found in him and him alone.”

Your salvation is ABSOLUTELY FREE (v.24 - “…justified freely”) for YOU!

But that doesn’t mean there was no cost involved!

2. Through the Sacrifice Given by God - (3:25a)

ἱλαστήριον - “…mercy seat”

Also translated “…propitiation” (NASB, ESV), “…the sacrifice for sin” (NIV).

The Greek word is only used twice in the NT. Here and in…

Hebrews 9:5 CSB

5 The cherubim of glory were above the ark overshadowing the mercy seat. It is not possible to speak about these things in detail right now.

Used twenty-two times in the Septuagint it translates the Hebrew kapporeth, the golden lid of the ark of the covenant (the ‘mercy seat’), the place where the blood of the sacrifices was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement!

EITHER WAY the truth STANDS!

Jesus is the “place” where the blood of the lamb satisfied God’s righteous demand!

He is ALSO the “satisfying sacrifice for sin!”

1 John 2:2 CSB

2 He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.

1 John 4:10 CSB

10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

3. Justification through faith in His blood - (3:25b)

“…by his blood, through faith”

1 Peter 1:18–19 CSB

18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.

The FINAL stone in our foundation this morning is…

III. The Demonstration of the Righteousness of God - (3:25c-26)

A. A Demonstration of God’s Righteousness in the PAST! - (v.25c)

“…because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed”

From ἀνοχῇ - ‘forbearance, tolerance, truce’, used only one other time in the NT:

Romans 2:4 CSB

4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

B. A Demonstration of God’s Righteousness in the PRESENT! - (3:26)

“God presented him…” for TWO reasons:

1. “God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just…”

Romans 6:23 CSB

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In order for God to be just, the penalty for sin had to be paid!

Hebrews 10:10 CSB

10 By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.

2. “…and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Horatius Bonar wrote the following words…

Not what my hands have done Can save my guilty soul; Not what my toiling flesh has borne Can make my spirit whole. Not what I feel or do Can give me peace with God; Not all my prayers and sighs and tears Can bear my awful load. Thy grace alone, O God, To me can pardon speak; Thy power alone, O Son of God, Can this sore bondage break. No other work save thine, No other blood will do; No strength save that which is divine Can bear me safely through.

IV. The Implications of Righteousness Through Faith - (3:27–31)

A. It EXCLUDES Boasting! - (vv.27-28)

ἐξεκλείσθη - ‘shut outs, excludes, eliminates’

1. Through the “law of faith”! - (v.27)

NOTICE that the “law of faith” is CONTRASTED with the law or principle “of works”!

2. Because it justifies by faith apart from works! - (v.28)

“For we conclude…” - λογιζόμεθα γὰρ - ‘reckon, calculate, take inventory, count consider’

NIV, NASB - ‘maintain’; LEB, NET - ‘consider’; ESV - ‘hold’

WHAT was Paul’s conclusion? “…that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.”

Paul will revisit this truth many more times in this letter:

Romans 4:5 CSB

5 But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness.

Romans 5:1 CSB

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:3 CSB

3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering,

Paul’s sermon in that synagogue in Pisidian Antioch concluded with the following words:

Acts 13:38–39 CSB

38 Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you. 39 Everyone who believes is justified through him from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses.

Jesus had much to say in this regard as well:

John 5:24 CSB

24 “Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

John 6:40 CSB

40 For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

B. It ESTABLISHES God as the God of Both Jew and Gentile! - (vv.29–30)

1. He is also the God of the Gentiles! - (v.29)

Psalm 67:1–5 CSB

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us; may he make his face shine upon us Selah 2 so that your way may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise you, God; let all the peoples praise you. 4 Let the nations rejoice and shout for joy, for you judge the peoples with fairness and lead the nations on earth. Selah 5 Let the peoples praise you, God, let all the peoples praise you.

2. Because he justifies both by faith! - (v.30)

We will explore this truth several more times in our study of Romans!

Romans 10:12–13 CSB

12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

C. It CONFIRMS the Role of the Law! - (v.31)

Galatians 3:24 NASB95

24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

Conclusion

2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB

21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.