But Now

SERMON 6 (EXPANDED PULPIT MANUSCRIPT)

But Now

Series: The Case Against Us (Week 6)

Romans 3:21–26 

BIG IDEA

God reveals His righteousness through Jesus Christ, justifying sinners by grace through faith.

INTERROGATIVE QUESTION (CIT)

If we cannot make ourselves righteous, how can we ever be made right with God?

OPENING (STORY + NEED + TENSION)

For the last several weeks, we have been sitting in a courtroom.

Not casually. Carefully. Relentlessly.

Paul has not rushed us.

He has walked us, step by step, into a reality most people spend their lives avoiding.

The rebellious are guilty. The moral are guilty. The religious are guilty.

And then Romans 3:19 says:

“Every mouth may be stopped…”

That is where we’ve been living.

No more arguments. No more comparisons. No more defenses.

Just silence.

Let me give you a picture.

Imagine standing in a courtroom where every piece of evidence has been presented against you.

Every charge confirmed. Every excuse dismantled. Every justification exposed.

And then the judge looks at you and says:

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

And for the first time in your life…

You don’t.

No explanation. No defense. No angle left to play.

Just the weight of reality:

Guilty.

That is where Romans has taken us.

And if the story ended there…

There would be no hope.

But then…

Two words appear.

“But now…”

And those two words change everything.

TRANSITION TO TEXT

Let’s look at Romans 3:21–26 

Paul now shifts.

This is one of the most important turns in all of Scripture.

From condemnation → to salvation From guilt → to grace From silence → to hope

And he shows us four realities:

A righteousness revealed A need universally shared A gift freely given A God perfectly just and justifier

DIVISION 1

A Righteousness Revealed (Romans 3:21–22)

EXPLANATION (SLOW + CLEAR)

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested…”

Slow down here.

“Righteousness of God.”

This is not just describing God’s character.

It is describing a righteousness that comes from God.

A right standing before Him.

A status of being fully acceptable in His sight.

And Paul says:

It has been manifested.

That means revealed… made visible… brought into the open.

Not discovered by human effort.

Not developed over time.

Revealed by God Himself.

Then he says:

“Apart from the law…”

This is critical.

This righteousness does not come through rule-keeping.

Not through effort. Not through discipline. Not through religion.

And yet:

“The Law and the Prophets bear witness to it…”

Meaning:

This is not new.

This was always God’s plan.

From Genesis to Malachi, the Scriptures were pointing forward to this moment.

Now look at how it comes:

“Through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”

GREEK INTEGRATION (YOUR STYLE)

That word “faith” — clear first:

It means trust… reliance… dependence.

Not just agreeing that something is true.

Leaning your weight on it.

Then anchor it:

(pistis)

This is not intellectual belief.

It is personal trust in a person—Jesus Christ.

THEOLOGICAL DEPTH

This is justification introduced in full clarity.

If righteousness comes from God…

Then it is not produced by man.

Which means:

Salvation is not cooperative.

It is provided.

God, in His sovereignty, has made a way…

That does not depend on human ability.

ILLUSTRATION

It’s like spending your entire life trying to climb a mountain.

You try harder.

You push further.

You get a little higher…

But you keep slipping.

And deep down, you start to realize:

You are never going to reach the top.

And just when that realization settles in…

Someone comes down the mountain.

Not to coach you.

Not to encourage you.

But to carry you.

That is the gospel.

ARGUMENTATION

Everything in us resists this.

Because we want control.

We want contribution.

We want to feel like we earned something.

So we think:

“If I try harder…” “If I clean myself up…” “If I become more disciplined…”

But Paul says:

Righteousness is not achieved.

It is received.

If it comes from God…

You cannot manufacture it.

APPLICATION

Believers:

Be honest—how often do you drift back into performance?

You start thinking:

“If I have a good week, God is pleased with me.” “If I fail, He’s disappointed in me.”

Listen:

You are not maintaining your standing with God.

You are living from it.

Let grace produce:

Rest Confidence Obedience from love, not fear

Unbelievers:

You cannot fix yourself enough to be accepted by God.

You cannot clean yourself up enough to be worthy.

But you can receive what God freely gives.

STICKY STATEMENT

You don’t achieve righteousness—you receive it.

TRANSITION

So righteousness is revealed.

But why is that necessary?

Because of something every one of us shares.

DIVISION 2

A Need Universally Shared (Romans 3:23)

EXPLANATION (SLOW + WEIGHT)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

“All.”

No exceptions.

No categories.

No loopholes.

And notice the tense:

“Fall short.”

Not just something that happened.

Something that continues.

We continually fail to meet the standard.

And what is the standard?

“The glory of God.”

That means:

We were created to reflect Him.

To mirror His character.

To live in alignment with His holiness.

But instead…

We fall short.

GREEK INTEGRATION

“Sinned” — clear first:

To miss the mark.

To fail to hit the target.

Then anchor it:

(hamartanō)

Not partial failure.

Complete inability to meet God’s perfect standard.

THEOLOGICAL DEPTH (DEPRAVITY)

This is total depravity.

Not that every person is as bad as possible.

But that every part of us is affected by sin.

Mind—distorted Heart—misaligned Desires—disordered Will—resistant

Which means:

Left to ourselves…

We do not move toward God.

We move away from Him.

ILLUSTRATION

It’s like aiming at a perfect target from a distance.

Not only do you miss…

You never hit it.

Not once.

No matter how many times you try.

That’s not just failure.

That’s inability.

ARGUMENTATION

We push back on this.

We say:

“I’m a good person.”

But based on what?

Comparison?

Culture?

Personal standards?

God’s standard is not relative.

It is absolute.

Perfect righteousness.

Not most of the time.

All of the time.

And Paul says:

No one meets it.

APPLICATION

Believers:

Never lose sight of this.

Because the moment you forget where you came from…

You lose humility.

You lose compassion.

You lose urgency.

Your salvation is not a reward.

It is a rescue.

Unbelievers:

Stop comparing yourself to others.

Stop minimizing your sin.

Stop redefining goodness.

You are not close.

You are in need.

STICKY STATEMENT

The ground is level at the foot of the cross.

TRANSITION

So the need is universal.

Which makes what comes next…

Incredibly important.

DIVISION 3

A Gift Freely Given (Romans 3:24–25a)

EXPLANATION (SLOW + LEGAL LANGUAGE)

“…and are justified…”

This is courtroom language.

Clear first:

Declared righteous.

Not made better.

Not improved.

Declared right in the sight of God.

Then anchor it:

(dikaioō)

A legal verdict.

Your status changes.

Then:

“By His grace…”

Grace means:

Undeserved favor.

Not earned. Not deserved. Not worked for.

“As a gift…”

That removes all confusion.

You don’t contribute.

You receive.

Then:

“Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…”

Redemption means:

A price paid to set someone free.

THEOLOGICAL DEPTH (JUSTIFICATION)

This is the heart of justification.

God declares sinners righteous…

Not because they are righteous…

But because Christ is.

And His righteousness is credited to them.

Which means:

Your standing before God is not based on your performance.

It is based on Christ’s.

ILLUSTRATION

Imagine carrying a debt so large you could never repay it.

Every day it grows.

Every effort fails.

And then someone steps in…

Pays it in full…

And hands you the receipt.

Stamped:

Paid.

Not partially.

Not conditionally.

Fully.

That’s redemption.

ARGUMENTATION

This is where people struggle.

Because grace feels:

Too easy Too generous Too undeserved

But that is the point.

If you could earn it…

You would boast in it.

But God designed salvation so that:

All glory goes to Him.

APPLICATION

Believers:

Stop living like you still owe God something.

You don’t obey to earn acceptance.

You obey because you are accepted.

Let grace reshape:

Your identity Your motivation Your obedience

Unbelievers:

You don’t clean yourself up first.

You don’t fix your life and then come to God.

You come as you are.

And He saves you.

STICKY STATEMENT

Grace is not earned—it is given.

TRANSITION

But now we face the biggest question of all.

How can God do this…

And still be just?

DIVISION 4

A God Perfectly Just and Justifier (Romans 3:25b–26)

EXPLANATION (SLOW + CLIMAX)

“…so that He might be just and the justifier…”

This is the tension.

God is just.

Which means:

He must punish sin.

He cannot ignore it.

He cannot overlook it.

He cannot pretend it didn’t happen.

But God also justifies sinners.

So how can both be true?

The answer is the cross.

Paul says Jesus was put forward as a “propitiation.”

GREEK INTEGRATION

Clear first:

A sacrifice that satisfies wrath.

Then anchor it:

(hilastērion)

God’s righteous anger against sin…

Was fully satisfied in Christ.

THEOLOGICAL DEPTH (SOVEREIGNTY + ATONEMENT + ASSURANCE)

God did not ignore sin.

He dealt with it.

Fully.

Completely.

Decisively.

In Christ.

Jesus became:

The substitute The sacrifice The satisfaction

Which means:

God remains just.

And you can be justified.

And here is where assurance is born:

If your sin has already been paid for…

It cannot be charged again.

ILLUSTRATION

Imagine a judge who looks at you and says:

“You are guilty.”

And the sentence is real.

The penalty is just.

And then…

He steps down from the bench.

Walks over.

And takes your place.

And pays your sentence Himself.

Justice is upheld.

Mercy is extended.

That is the cross.

ARGUMENTATION

Every other system fails here.

Some lower the standard.

Some ignore sin.

Some depend on effort.

But only the gospel says:

God satisfied His own justice.

Which means:

Your sin is not ignored.

It is paid for.

APPLICATION

Believers:

Stop living under guilt that Christ already paid for.

Stop carrying what He already carried.

Rest in the finished work of Jesus.

Let assurance grow from the cross.

Unbelievers:

God is not asking you to fix your sin.

He is calling you to trust the One who paid for it.

The work has been done.

STICKY STATEMENT

At the cross, God didn’t ignore your sin—He paid for it.

CONCLUSION — THE COURTROOM CHANGES

Go back to the courtroom.

You stood there:

Guilty Silent Condemned

And then…

Jesus steps in.

Not to argue your case.

But to take your place.

And the verdict changes:

From guilty…

To righteous.

Not because of you.

But because of Him.

FINAL APPEAL

So let me ask you:

Will you keep trying…

Or will you trust Him?

Some of you have been trying for years.

Trying to be better. Trying to fix yourself. Trying to earn God’s favor.

And today God is saying:

Stop.

It’s already been done.

CALL TO ACTION

Turn from trusting yourself.

Turn toward Jesus.

Believe.

Not in what you can do—

But in what He has done.

Because today:

You can be justified.

Freely. Fully. Forever.

By faith in Jesus Christ.

FINAL LINE

When you stop trying to make yourself right…

And trust the One who already made a way—

That is where grace becomes yours.