Romans 3:21-26 NKJV – 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth [as] a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
V21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets…
Before Jesus was born and ministered, the Jews believed salvation from God’s wrath was in following Mosaic Law. Following Mosaic Law cannot save anyone. All sin (Romans 6:23) and even transgressing one law meant one would be punished with death (James 2:10-11). The way of righteousness for salvation fails, but now it is revealed by Jesus Christ.
Hastings Dictionary: “The personal favor of God, and the attainment by Israel of the Messianic salvation for herself and the world, were staked on the exact fulfillment of the Mosaic Law, and circumcision was accepted as the seal, stamped upon the body of every male Jew, of the covenant based on this understanding (see Galatians 5:3). Romans 7:7-25 shows how utterly this theory had failed for the individual, and Romans 9:30 to Romans 10:3 asserts its national failure.”
The Law taught salvation by faith (Genesis 15:6 and Exodus 14:31).
The prophets taught salvation by faith (Habakkuk 2:4 and Isaiah 28:16).
V22 …even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference…
This righteousness is not a personal or temporary righteousness. It is the righteousness of God meeting God’s standards.
The righteousness of God is granted to people based on their faith.
This faith is in the Lord Jesus alone (John 3:15-18 and Acts 4:12).
This faith is the same whether Jew or Gentile.
The plan for salvation is the same for all from Adam to whoever is the last-born human.
Salvation is available to all, but sadly, most reject it.
V23 …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…
All have broken God’s laws in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. Thus, all have sinned.
Fall short of the glory of God refers to falling short of God’s standards.
Jesus, however, obeyed the law in every aspect for Jewish males without any failure (1 John 3:5, Isaiah 53:9, and Hebrews 4:15).
V24 …being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…
Justified is to be declared righteous. Only God makes the highest law; only God enforces the highest law; only God can judge the highest law; only God can forgive the sins of breaking the highest law.
It is free to us. God does not require money or works in order to be saved. It is a gift to any who will believe in Jesus alone for salvation. See Romans 4:1-5.
The penalty was paid for everyone’s sin if they meet God’s condition of believing in Jesus.
Bridge Bible Dictionary: “Most commonly the Bible uses the word ‘justify’ in what might be called a legal sense. The picture is that of a courtroom where the righteous person is the one whom the judge declares to be right. The person is justified. In other words, to justify means to declare righteous, to declare to be in the right, to vindicate. It is the opposite of to condemn, which means to declare guilty, to declare to be in the wrong (Deuteronomy 25:1; Job 13:18; Isaiah 50:7-8; Matthew 12:37; Luke 18:14; Romans 8:33).”
Jesus is the one who died paying the penalty for our sins (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Freely refers to the fact that we did not pay the penalty.
Grace is giving something to us that we do not deserve.
Redemption refers to buying us from slavery to sin.
Christ Jesus is the Son of God, the Passover Lamb, the Savior, deliverer, King of kings, etc. Without Jesus there is no salvation.
V25 …whom God set forth [as] a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed…
A propitiation is a sacrifice that appeases God. God has wrath against those who break His law (Romans 6:23).
Another translation: Romans 3:25 (EHV) whom God publicly displayed as the atonement seat through faith in His blood. God did this to demonstrate His justice, since, in His divine restraint, He had left the sins that were committed earlier unpunished.
The word propitiation in the NKJV is the Greek word for atonement seat/mercy seat. This refers to the lid on the Temple Ark where the High Priest presented the blood for atonement for the nation of Israel.
Barclay (beware) states: “So Paul says, “Jesus Christ, by his life of obedience and his death of love, made the one sacrifice to God which really and truly atones for sin.” He insists that what happened on the Cross opens the door back to a right relationship with God, a door which every other sacrifice is powerless to open.”
Faith, that is, believing God, is the condition God demands for this forgiveness of sins and its penalty. Jesus is the only savior. He is sinless, a volunteer, and God to qualify for to suffer the penalty for humans.
Forgiveness of sins requires death. Either I die or a substitute dies in my place (Genesis 3:21, John 1:36, and 1 Corinthians 5:7).
God is righteous to require death as a penalty for sin. God is righteous to accept Jesus’s death in our place. God is righteous to forgive my sins and yours through the condition of faith.
God waited patiently and did not destroy those who believed in the past (Genesis 15:6) even though the Passover Lamb had not yet been offered.
V26 …to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
God is just and the justifier. The condition is faith in Jesus. No faith in Jesus, no salvation. Faith in Jesus, salvation (Luke 18:13).
We learn:
- The importance of Jesus Christ.
- The need for a deliverer.
- Who the deliverer is.
- How God can be just to forgive sins.
Questions:
- Have you believed in Jesus for salvation?
- Do you trust in your good works or ritual for salvation?