Freely Justified by Grace

Romans 3:21-31.

In a world often consumed by achievement, status, and self-reliance, there's a profound truth that cuts through the noise: we are freely justified by God's grace.

This revolutionary concept, rooted in the book of Romans, transforms our understanding of our relationship with God and offers a peace that surpasses all understanding.

At the heart of this message lies a simple yet powerful definition: justification is God's act of declaring a sinner righteous because of their faith in Christ. It's not about what we do, but about what has been done for us.

This shifts our entire paradigm of how we relate to God and frees us from the crushing weight of trying to earn His favor.

The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, unveils this liberating truth with clarity and conviction. He presents the gospel of Christ as the full revelation of God's righteousness, completely separate from the law.

This is good news for all of humanity – a beacon of hope shining into the darkest corners of our despair.

To start with we have the nickel definition of a $10 religious word- Justification

From Gotquestions.org:

Simply put, to justify is to declare righteous. Justification is an act of God whereby He (God) pronounces a sinner to be righteous because of that sinner’s faith in Christ.

According to one theologian, “the root idea in justification is the declaration of God, the only true, righteous judge, that the man who believes in Christ, sinful though he may be, is righteous—is viewed as being righteous, because in Christ he has come into a righteous relationship with God” (Ladd, G. E., A Theology of the New Testament, Eerdmans, 1974, p. 437).

In today’s study, Apostle Paul presents the Gospel of Christ as the full and complete revealing of God’s righteousness aside from the Law.

His point of emphasis is that “Justification” comes to the believer, through Jesus Christ.

This outlines the Grace, Mercy, and Salvation that God promised to all of mankind.

We all can draw strength from the knowledge that our being “viewed as righteous...” is not based on anything we can do.

We cannot work hard enough to earn it, nor can we follow the law close enough to deserve it.

It is only by God’s grace that we, through Christ can be in right relationship with God.

This is a good thing, as we can live and rest in true peace, knowing that our salvation is secured, as long as we maintain that right relationship with Him.

Justification by and through grace is the cornerstone to our Christian Faith.

The key point being: It is Faith in Christ that opens the door for all who would believe to receive God’s righteousness...

Realizing the truth that all believers are gifted equally of God’s grace, regardless of any past behaviors, social or economic status or ethnic background.

So lets begin with a closer look at God’s Righteousness.

1- Righteousness Revealed

Romans 3:21 ESV

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

So let’s be real- The human condition is dark and dismal-

The level of despair is often beyond our comprehension.

And into the depths of that despair and anguish- God shines a light.

A Light that has always existed- John 1:1

John 1:1 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Romans 1:16–17 ESV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

This Light of Hope, shining into the darkest pits of man’s depravity...

Is “The Righteousness of God...” made available to all through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

While the Law, given to the ancient Israelites, was meant to highlight their sinful state, and to give them an avenue to right standing with that Holy God...

The Law, itself, could not rescue anyone, annual sacrifices were needed, for the forgiveness of the sins of the community.

The works of man were required to keep the Law and stay within its boundaries.

God’s Righteousness, brought Front and Center-

That thanks to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, our standing with God is no longer dependent on our following a set of rules.

Simple belief in the Divine works of Christ for all of us, gives all of humanity access to God’s Righteousness, without the need for rituals and routines or our ability to follow the rules.

For anyone who may struggle with the need for perfectionism or the guilt of failure- This is truly liberating.

Gods grace, mercy and righteousness is now open and available to all-

If we just Accept Christ as our Saviour, Believe that His redeeming works on the cross were enough to justify us before God, and then confess it with our mouths. In other words, Tell everyone we can, How God has radically changed your life.

2 Corinthians 9:15 ESV

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

The fact that the Eternal, Triune God, chose to provide for the deliverance of mankind from the worst of evil, itself and allow us to grab hold and keep the Greatest of all Good...While personally paying such an inconcevible price...

It reminds me of the verse of an old gospel song,

He paid a debt He did not owe. I owed a debt I could not pay. I needed someone to wash my sins away. And now I sing a brand new song - Amazing Grace! Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.

As Paul puts it in Eph 3:14-19

Ephesians 3:14–19 ESV

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

So is the Apostle ascribing to a new theology, here? Absolutely not!

He is merely confirming what the Law and the OT Prophets all declared.

What this revelation of the source of this Righteousness- Gods Righteousness- establishes, is the basis of our Peace with God.

We are freed from the incomplete and temporary requirements of the Law, to live in true freedom and in real peace with God- Through Faith in God the Son.

And the now Revealed Righteousness of God.

2- Faith for all who Believe

Romans 3:22–23 ESV

the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

The Apostle is adding, here, further emphasis to the knowledge of God’s Righteousness is only attainable to “Those that believe...” through Faith in Jesus Christ.

An important point, in the time of the church in Rome as well as now-

Status has never mattered to God.

Just imagine, how ridiculous and absurd it would be that anything of Gods creation could possibly bribe the Creator in any way.

He would not be much of a God, if He were to be so easily swayed...

No, Paul is quite clear, as is Scripture- THERE IS NO DISTINCTION!!

Rich or Poor, Young or Old, Male or Female, Educated or Not, Jew/Greek/Roman then or any other ethnic origin now- Majority or Minority.

God plays no favorites, All have sinned- No one is righteousness enough in themselves to deserve Gods grace.

No one can win Gods favor by their own personal Good deeds, Good Heart or Good Looks.

All of humanity has fallen short- And continues to fall short in our present day- of Gods Glory

Consider how these verses would play out in a modern conversation today:

STATEMENT: The Righteousness of God is available through faith

QUESTION: But for who?

ANSWER: For everyone that believes.

QUESTION: Really?!? Why?!?

ANSWER: There is no difference between Jew or Gentile

QUESTION: Why not?

ANSWER: Everyone has sinned and come short of God’s glory

QUESTION: How do we solve that?

ANSWER: By being justified in Christ, through faith in Him, accepting Gods free gift of salvation as His ultimate act of grace and mercy

In a nutshell:

Being included in the “All that Believe...” is the enduring truth the unites all believers across the world, diverse was we are, under the same banner of God’s Grace.

3- Where Gods Justice and Love Meet

Paul continues from verse 23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...”

Romans 3:24–26 ESV

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 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.

This is where reading the text in context becomes so important:

Without including verse 23, “...For all have sinned and fall short of Gods glory...”

One might come to the conclusion that the Apostle is claiming that ALL sinners are being justified and being saved- As most Universalists would believe...

That eventually, in the end everyone gets saved.

I have, personally, even heard it taught from the pulpit that there is even room in Gods grace for Satan to be saved.

This line of teaching has only led to confusion over time and is not a benefit to the Church body at all.

The complete teaching of Paul in this passage must be taught as one complete expression: As the NIV Application Commentary puts it...

Romans a. Being Justified

“a righteousness from God which,

Romans a. Being Justified

“There is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

Romans a. Being Justified

“being justified freely by his grace through the redemption (accomplished) in Christ Jesus”

Just because the offer is extended, universally...

It still has to be accepted individually-

Each and every person has to make decision- A choice

And it is to those that, by Faith in Christ, and believe, that God’s grace is extended.

And they are justified, or made right with God, because of their belief in Him.

And this is not just a NT concept:

The OT covers the idea of Justification in Gen 15, Psalms 32, Isa 53, and Jer 23.

To name just a few references.

Apostle Paul writes extensively about this very topic in several of his letters in the NT,

As well as doing a much deeper dive into it later on in his letter, here to the Roman Church.

Several points to make in this process:

Our salvation and Justification comes from God

1- Freely, Since we cannot do enough to earn it

2- It is offered by the Grace of God

3- Redemption is found in the completed work of Christ

4- Although offered to all, it must be accepted by each one personally

The reason for the way God has established this brings us to our final thought today:

4- No Boasting Allowed

Romans 3:27–31 ESV

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

This eliminates the ability for anyone across any timeframe to be able to claim that by some special privilege or personal efforts:

That they have gain acceptance from God outside of accepting the Free Gift of salvation through faith in Christ.

Mankind has a habit of boasting about the things we accomplish.

While being pleased over a job well done is fine- Boasting comes from a haughty spirit and a bloated sense of self worth and ego.

The humble approach we must all take emphasizes the fact that the ground is level at the foot of the cross.

Because all have sinned, there are none that are above reproach

So we all come to the crossroad of salvation in the same sinful condition.

How could we possibly boast about receiving a gift that we had nothing to do with and did nothing to merit such a gift?

These is not even the chance of one iota of this powerful gift that comes from the imagination or works of mankind.

It is all from the Loving, caring and faithful heart of God the Father.

There is no room for boasting on our part, on any level.

There is an old Hymn of the church that captures verse 28 perfectly,

Written by Edward Mote in 1834, “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”

The first verse states it plainly:

Romans g. (Effective) through Faith

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand.

Paul then concludes this section by reinforcing his continuing premise that:

There is not two Gods, one for the Jews and one for the Gentiles...

But, rather, he echo’s what has been declared from the beginning:

From the OT prophets

To the Teachings of Christ

To the continued teachings of all the Apostles, including Paul

There is but one God, and one way only to salvation for all.

How amazing and unimaginable by the human mind is God’s love for us.

This side of Heaven we can never fully understand it

Justification by grace through faith is the essential truth that transforms our relationship with God, freeing us from the law and granting us peace and assurance in Christ.

I pray we do not squander the opportunity to freely accept and receive it- personally.