Romans Chapter 3

God Remains Faithful—Romans 3:1-8

Having firmly described the shared sinful condition of humankind, Paul turns to several thoughts about the unique benefits of being Jewish. He wants to remind his Jewish brothers that their lack of faith has not hindered God’s plan. Paul does not want his people to miss the significance of God’s faithfulness. In spite of their failures, God still allows them to be the people of the Messiah. In fact, the Jews’ lack of faith is a clear witness to the absolute need for a Savior. Neither they nor we can save ourselves. God’s faithfulness is our only hope.
Romans 3:1 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? (nkjv) Paul’s conversation with his Jewish critic continues into this chapter. At the end of chapter 2, Paul had clearly stated that true “Jewishness” is not a matter of heritage, but a matter of one’s relationship with God, and that true circumcision is not on the body, but on the heart. The Jewish response might have well been, “If that’s true, then is there any advantage to being a part of the Jewish nation or, for that matter, in being physically circumcised?” Paul gives his response.
Your Advantage What a depressing picture Paul is painting! All of us—pagan Gentiles, humanitarians, and religious people—are condemned by our own actions. The law, which God gave to show the way to live, exposes our evil deeds. Is there any hope for us? Yes, says Paul. The law condemns us, it is true, but the law is not the basis of our hope. God himself is. He, in his righteousness and wonderful love, offers us eternal life. We receive our salvation not through law but through faith in Jesus Christ. We do not—cannot—earn it; we accept it as a gift from our gracious Father.

Romans 3

All the World Guilty

¹ Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
Much, in every way …. The Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. (nrsv) Paul answers yes, there are advantages for those members of God’s chosen nation. (1) They were entrusted with God’s laws (Exodus 19–20; Deuteronomy 4:8). (2) They were the race through whom the Messiah came to earth (Isaiah 11:1-10; Matthew 1:1-17). (3) They were the beneficiaries of covenants with God himself (Genesis 17:1-16; Exodus 19:3-6). Later in Romans, Paul returns to this theme and lists several other benefits of being Jewish: “Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen” (9:4-5 niv). But these privileges did not make them better than anyone else (see 3:9). In fact, the privileges made the Jews even more responsible to live up to God’s requirements. Paul himself was a Jew, and even though he became a dynamic Christian, he did not turn his back on his heritage. In fact, he realized that the prophets, the law, and God’s plan all pointed to fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Therefore, he could confidently state that being a Jew and being circumcised did have meaning, but only as part of God’s total plan. The Jews were entrusted with God’s words, preserving them until the coming of Christ, who was the fulfillment of the prophetic Scriptures.
² Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
Some did not have faith …. Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? (niv) While it was true that many Jews were not faithful to God or to what they had been entrusted, that didn’t change the fact of God’s faithfulness. Many Jews rejected the gospel and thus failed to understand their own Scriptures. But Israel’s unfaithfulness did not determine God’s faithfulness. God had always been faithful to Israel, despite the nation’s failings, and God would continue to be faithful to his covenant with them. Paul later encouraged Timothy by writing, “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself,” (2 Timothy 2:11-13 niv). God’s faithfulness is still far ahead of our obedience. In fact, it is futile to try to make God’s faithfulness in any way dependent on the quality of our faith or obedience. Our experience of following Christ in this life will always include a mixture of faith and faithlessness.
Great Is His Faithfulness When the gospel and the faithfulness of God are the central themes of Christian churches, spiritual growth takes place. Even though some will lack faith, God will remain faithful. We must not forget that the beginning of our own faith was God’s loving faithfulness: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). As long as God is faithful, there is hope for those moving out of faithlessness and into faith.
³ What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?
Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. (nkjv) In the strongest terms he could use, Paul wanted to drive home the point that the combined self-justification of the whole world could not stand up to God’s truth. If God and every person were to disagree, there still would not be any doubt about who was right. The fact that many people are unfaithful (see Psalm 116:11) by suppressing the truth (1:18), exchanging the truth for a lie (1:25), and rejecting the truth (2:8), doesn’t change the deeper fact of God’s faithfulness. God’s purpose for Israel and his plan for all people remained unshaken. Psalm 51, from which Paul chose to quote (verse 4), is one of the profoundly confessional passages in the Old Testament. It records the repentance of David following his confrontation with the prophet Nathan over his sin with Bathsheba. In the revelation of his sin David realized, as all of us must, that there is no denial before God. He sees even those things that we hide so well in ourselves and perhaps even come to believe never happened. Kings were used to getting their way. We tend toward the same arrogance. Before God it carries no weight at all.
Guilty as Charged Our world, which worships at the shrine of public opinion, where truth is determined by percentages rather than absolutes and where might claims to be right, needs to be reminded again and often that we will not appear before God to state our case. We will come before God with our guilt proven. Any hope other than God’s mercy in Christ will prove to be false.
⁴ May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, “That You may be justified in Your words, And prevail when You are judged.”
3:5 Our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness. (niv) The apologist in Paul can foresee further objections arising. He poses them in the question of this verse. He understands that people are usually more willing to rationalize than repent, and that their minds will be pondering ways to elude God’s righteous judgment. Paul knows they are thinking, If God’s faithfulness is not dependent on my faithfulness, then why should I be faithful? And if my sinfulness makes God look so good, then why should he punish me? I’m actually helping him out! This was an attempt to make it seem unjust for God to punish sinners. (Paul seemed so embarrassed to even use this kind of reasoning that he explained that he was merely using a human argument. (niv)) Is God unjust to punish the unrighteous? Many believe that God’s wrath contradicts his loving nature. But God judges based on his own character, not on society’s norm for fairness. God is not accountable to some external, vague notion of fair play. His personal moral uprightness is the standard by which he judges.
Bringing Out the Best In what ways does our unrighteousness bring out God’s righteousness? t Our awareness of sin causes us to repent, resulting in salvation.

t Our repeated failures result in a new consciousness of sin and an awareness of our need for God’s help.

t Our deepened understanding of sin confirms the truth that victory and spiritual growth come from God’s strength rather than ours.

t God’s forgiveness becomes part of our testimony to others (God has done this for me, and he will do it for you).

t In the light of God’s righteousness, our tendency to sin teaches us humility.
⁵ But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.)
How could God judge the world? (nrsv) This answers the questions in verse 5. God is just, and he is the Judge of all creation. Eventually the final day of reckoning will come when God will “give to each person according to what he has done” (2:6). God must and will judge sine has the right to judge the world because he is God, and he is holy and just. Paul answers by reaffirming God’s character. He reminds his readers that no person can be an exception to God’s laws; that would violate God’s character and disqualify him as the Judge. People who make themselves final arbiters of God’s laws usually make a mockery out of righteousness. The kind of thinking that Paul challenges is the same religious reasoning that Jesus confronted during his ministry. These questions attempt to project our difficulties in understanding God into real philosophical problems for God. But what are problems for us are not so for God. Our simplistic case studies are laughable. Note, for example, the Sadducees who approached Jesus with the hypothetical case of the married woman who had been progressively widowed by seven brothers (Matthew 22:23-33). In the minds of Jesus’ questioners, the resolution of such a complicated relationship actually called into question the possibility of the resurrection. Jesus not only eliminated the problem, but he also addressed the real issue, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matthew 22:29 niv).

⁶ May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?
If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness … why am I still condemned? (niv) This is the same question from verse 5, posed with different words. The root problem is in people’s misunderstanding of God’s righteousness when he is patient to both unfaithful Jews and sinful Gentiles. Jews cannot condemn Gentiles; both are in the same predicament. Both need to rely on God’s righteousness in his dealings with them and then choose to trust him or face his inevitable wrath for their sins.
Why Worry about Sin? Some people may think that they don’t have to worry about sin because: (1) it’s God’s job to forgive; (2) God is so loving, that he won’t judge us; (3) sin isn’t so bad—it teaches us valuable lessons; or (4) we need to stay in touch with the culture around us. It is easy to take God’s grace for granted. But God cannot overlook sin. Sinners, no matter how many excuses they make, will have to answer to God for their sin.
⁷ But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner?
Why not say-as we are being slanderously reported as saying … “Let us do evil that good may result”? (niv) The gospel Paul preached was being misconstrued because he argued that obeying the law would not bring salvation. Paul, and possibly the Roman Christians, had heard this objection from Jews who were accusing him of teaching lawlessness. If Jews or Gentile Christians interpreted Paul’s words that God is faithful despite people’s faithlessness to mean that God’s laws need not be followed, then they could reach this incorrect conclusion. Paul touches on the issue here and will return to it in detail in chapter 6. He wants his readers to appropriate the true freedom that Christ offers without slipping into lawlessness. He dismisses this perverse reasoning with the terse words, Their condemnation is deserved. (niv)
⁸ And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just.

All People Are Sinners—Romans 3:9-20

Paul applies the concept of depravity he taught in 1:18-32 to the Jews in these verses. Paul now brings to a close the lengthy introduction of the charges against humanity that he began back in 1:18. He continually maintains that everyone stands guilty before God. Paul exposes the common excuses of people who refuse to admit they are sinners: (1) “There is no God,” or “I follow my conscience”—1:18-32; (2) “I’m not as bad as other people”—2:1-16; (3) “I’m a church member,” or “I’m a religious person”—2:17-29. By the end of this section he again declares that no one will be exempted from God’s judgment on sin. Every person must accept that he or she is sinful and liable for God’s condemnation. Only then can they understand and receive God’s wonderful gift of salvation.
Are we better than they? Not at all. (nkjv) To the question of whether there was any value in being a Jew, Paul had said yes (3:2). But to the question as to whether Jews are better than Gentiles, Paul answers no. The reason? Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. (niv) Both need God’s grace. Gentiles have no excuse (1:20), and neither do Jews (2:1).
I’m Not so Bad Paul uses the Old Testament references in this passage to show that humanity in general, in its present sinful condition, is unacceptable before God. The personal danger is revealed when we catch ourselves thinking, Well, I’m not too bad. I’m a pretty good person. These verses provide a checklist for character evaluation. They apply to us. Have we ever lied? Have we ever hurt someone’s feelings by our words or tone of voice? Are we bitter toward anyone? Do we become angry with those who strongly disagree with us? In thought, word, and deed, we, like everyone else in the world, stand guilty before God. We must remember who we are in his sight—alienated sinners. We must not deny that we are sinners. Instead, we ought to allow our desperate need to point us toward Christ.
⁹ What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;
As it is written. There can be no more argument about special privileges for the Jews, for from their own Scriptures Paul strings together a series of verses outlining universal indictment. The advantage of being a Jew does not apply to salvation. All have sinned; no one is righteous. No one can earn right standing with God. As is the pattern throughout the New Testament, writers do not always quote word for word from the Old Testament. Their notions about making exact citations were less stringent than ours. And because writers were probably working from memory as often as they were working with a text before them, their quotations tend to be allusions more than they are direct references. At other times their quotes may have been exact to the translation they did have before them, such as the Greek version of the Old Testament.
We All Fall Short This list of sins, quoted from the Old Testament, tends to strike us as harsh and unfair. We can usually spot one or two for which we can claim exemption. After all, we think, we don’t kill or openly practice deceit. But, as Scripture often requires us to do, a second look is helpful. The implications of the list are difficult to avoid. They force us to ask ourselves: t How well do we understand God? (3:11) How diligently are we seeking God? (3:11 ) t How much goodness would God find in our daily life? (3:12) In the wake of our actions and words, do we leave people helped or hurting? (3:13-15) t What is our record of peacemaking? (3:17) In what sense do we fear God? (3:18) Paul’s point, of course, is that an honest look at the facts of sinfulness will inevitably include us under God’s judgment.
¹⁰ as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one;
No one who seeks God (nrsv)—from Psalm 14:2. How fortunate that our reluctance to seek God did not prevent him from seeking us! Once we have been found by God, our motivation to seek him comes into force. Having been found by his grace, we look for evidences of his presence everywhere. Seeking is a way of expressing what is most important to us. Jesus said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33 niv). This kind of seeking means training ourselves to turn to God first for help, to fill our thoughts with his desires, to take his character for our pattern, and to serve and obey him in everything. The writer of Hebrews notes, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 nrsv). The rewards of seeking come after the spiritual birth through faith.
¹¹ There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God;
All have turned away, they have together become worthless (niv)—from Psalm 14:3. The failure to seek God does not leave a person immobilized; rather, it sets him or her on a course of destruction. Whatever does not include the seeking of God ends up being worthless.
¹² All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”
They use their tongues to deceive (nrsv)—from Psalm 5:9. Jesus made it clear that the indications of sinfulness come from inside of us. “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean’” (Matthew 15:11 niv). Up until this verse, the evidence of rebellion has been mainly evident between a person and God. Here Paul begins to point out that sinfulness corrupts human relationships too. The gift of communication becomes twisted into a weapon to deceive others.
¹³ “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The poison of asps is under their lips”;
Mouths are full of cursing and bitterness (nrsv)—from Psalm 10:7. Eventually, rebellion against God shows itself by tainting the way a person speaks. How often do we consider how clearly speech patterns reveal people who are desperately lost? Cursing and bitterness may strike us first as offensive expressions, but they are also clues about a person’s inward condition.
¹⁴ “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
Swift to shed blood … the way of peace they have not known (nkjv)—from Isaiah 59:7-8. Rebellion against God leads to violence against others. The shameful milestones of history are marked with bloodstains from the atrocities committed by those who freed themselves from God. There is always talk of peace, but apart from God, there can be no real peace. Here the apostle plainly declares that: (1) The good effect of a lie is no excuse for it. (2) It is a mere slander upon Christians to say, “They teach men to do evil that good may come, or do the evil themselves—their damnation is just. This is peculiarly applicable to those who tell lies in order to do good thereby. It follows that officious lies, as well as all others, are an abomination to the God of truth. Therefore, there is no absurdity, however strange it may sound, in that saying of the ancient Father, “I would not tell a willful lie to save the souls of the whole world.” —John Wesley
¹⁵ “Their feet are swift to shed blood,
¹⁶ Destruction and misery are in their paths,
¹⁷ And the path of peace they have not known.”
There is no fear of God (nkjv)—from Psalm 36:1. To fear the Lord is to recognize God for who he is: holy, almighty, righteous, pure, all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-wise. When we regard God correctly, we gain a clearer picture of ourselves: sinful, weak, frail, and needy. When we recognize who God is and who we are, we will fall at his feet in humble respect. Only then will he show us how to choose his way. Paul’s brief tour of truth ends almost full circle. He began with the fact that no one is like God (who is righteous), and he ends with the parallel truth that we lack fear of God. Some people lack this fear out of ignorance, while others, through familiarity with God, lose the sense of humble awe that ought to characterize a person’s attitude before God. Because of the universal fact of sin, the way of acceptance with God by reason of our works of righteousness is closed—the notice is clearly worded: No Road This Way. —F.F. Bruce
¹⁸ “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law. (nkjv) The verses quoted from the Scriptures (the Law) in verses 10 to 18 condemn all people, but especially those under the law, the Jews. Every mouth may be silenced. (nrsv) Those who read the verses quoted in 10-18 are silenced. There are no more excuses to be made, no more self-defenses uttered. No one can answer to God; everyone is liable for judgment. And if the Jews—God’s special chosen people—can say nothing in their own behalf, then no one can. The whole world may be held accountable to God. (nrsv) In the silence filling the court, one thought is clear: guilty as charged. That accountability of guilt must be answered, even though every explanation and excuse had failed. But one question might remain, “Why are we accountable to God rather than, say, our better selves or some standard of righteousness?” We are held accountable to God because he is our Creator, the personal source behind the standard (law), and the faithful Judge. We owe our existence and obedience to this One.
Silent before God The last time someone accused you of wrongdoing, how did you react? With denial, argument, and defensiveness? The Bible says the world stands silent and accountable before Almighty God. No excuses or arguments are left. Have you reached the point with God where you are ready to put away your defenses and await his decision? If not, you need to ask what is keeping you from admitting your sin to him. For the person who has submitted to God, the following verses are truly good news!
¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;

Nobody’s Perfect

 It’s common today for people to excuse their faults with the attitude, “Hey, nobody’s perfect!” True enough. People can only be expected to be human—and that means fallible.

Unfortunately, though, few people take that reality seriously enough. Indeed, when it comes to their standing before God, all too many take a different stance: they may not be perfect, but they’re “good enough.”

The question is, Are they good enough for God? Romans says they are not. That’s what Paul means when he writes, “all are under sin” (Rom. 3:9) and then cites a number of Old Testament passages to back up his claim (3:10–18).

It’s not that people are evil through and through, or that they never do any moral good. Quite the contrary. People are capable of impressive acts of courage, compassion, and justice. But in light of God’s holy (morally perfect) character, which is the ultimate standard against which people’s goodness is measured, people are indeed far from perfect. Their good behavior turns out to be the exception rather than the rule.

The good news that Paul writes about in Romans, however, is that God has reached out to humanity despite its imperfect ways. His attitude has not been one of rejection, as if to say, “They’re not good enough for Me,” but one of grace and compassion that says, in effect, “I will make them into good people—people as good as I AM—by means of Christ My Son.”
No one will be declared righteous. (niv) With this flat, all-inclusive statement, Paul closes his opening arguments that describe the state of human lostness. The purpose of the law is not to bring salvation, but to make us aware of sin. In his sight. Paul knows that it isn’t very difficult to gain the acclaim of others. His point is that the only declaration of righteousness is the one that comes from God, and it will not come as long as we insist on trying to live up to the standards of the law in our own strength. By observing the law. (niv) In the phrase by observing the law, Paul means keeping certain traditions, such as circumcision, in order to be identified as a Jew and so remain under God’s covenant promises. These traditions have to do with identifying with God’s people and maintaining relationship within that people. Again Paul drives the point home: being a knowledgeable, faithful, and law-keeping Jew doesn’t make a person righteous. Through the law we become conscious of sin. (niv) The law was not meant to become something the Jews boasted about; rather, it was given to eliminate anyone’s boasting and to make all people aware of sin and their constant need for God’s grace. The law shows us where we do wrong, but it doesn’t enable us to do right.
Two Functions of God’s Law First, the law shows us where we go wrong. Because of the law, we know we are helpless sinners, and we must come to Jesus Christ for mercy. For example, without a speed limit, we wouldn’t be breaking the law by going fast. No one receives a reward for consistently driving below the posted limit. But anyone driving over the limit is a lawbreaker. Second, the moral code revealed in the law can serve to guide our actions by holding up God’s moral standards. We do not earn salvation by keeping the law (no one except Christ ever kept or could keep God’s law perfectly), but we do please God when our lives conform to his revealed will for us. Later in the letter (see 7:1-25) Paul returns to this matter of the usefulness of the law. Concern about the law is actually the backdrop for the entire letter. Paul needs to explain in detail that his objective is not to undermine the law, but to underline its real purpose. Paul’s ministry exemplified the wonderful truth Jesus claimed when he said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17 niv). Until Jesus came, the law provided a strict measurement of God’s just and righteous character. With the coming of Christ, God’s mercy was also demonstrated. The law expressed the righteous requirements of God; Christ provided a way that we might be declared righteous. God’s mercy had always been present; in Christ it became evident.
²⁰ because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Christ Took Our Punishment—Romans 3:21-31

Like the swelling waves of the tide, Paul’s argument rolls over the predicament of the human race. After each wave of the gospel, the waters recede to reveal a new aspect or depth of the problem of sin. This wavelike approach to Paul’s letter provides a number of views of the same issues, with slightly different emphases. Having stated such a strong case for our universal indictment under the law, Paul now turns to God’s gracious alternative plan.
Good News After all the preceding bad news about our sinfulness and God’s condemnation, Paul gives the wonderful news. There is a way to be declared not guilty—by trusting Jesus Christ to take away our sins. Trusting means putting our confidence in Christ to forgive our sins, to make us right with God, and to empower us to live the way he taught us. God’s solution is available to all of us, regardless of our background or past behavior.
But now. With this sharp expression Paul alerts his readers to an important shift in subject. They would still be trying to absorb the impact of the Old Testament testimony against them. It was a teachable moment—an instant when the mind has been opened to a new view of familiar ideas and is vulnerable to significant application. Paul’s apologetic handling of the law is similar to Jesus’ approach with his parables, taking what was merely familiar to his readers and then shocking them into understanding. At this point, they are perhaps ready to hear the gospel. For them, Paul’s but now is a signal of hope. Righteousness from God … has been made known. (niv) Paul reintroduces the phrase he used in 1:17, a righteousness from God. Whereas the law was God’s righteous standard, the righteousness required to live up to it was not within man’s capacity. God, the measure of righteousness, had to provide a means of righteousness. Paul is convinced beyond doubt that this means of righteousness from God has, in fact, now been given. The phrase been made known (pephanerotai) can also be translated “manifested,” “disclosed,” or “revealed.” These meanings are consistent with Paul’s claim that this righteousness from God had been acknowledged by those who served God in the past. The gospel is not a recent creation by God to respond to human failure. It was part of the plan all along, but now … made known. Apart from law … to which the Law and the Prophets testify. (niv) In Greek grammar, apart from law follows immediately after but now. Paul emphasizes a different way of seeing the same issue. Whereas the law provided a measurement of the distance between God and his creatures, this righteousness from God, apart from law, provides a means to cross the distance. Apart from law indicates the same source but an independent working. There is a way to be righteous before God. It is not by obeying the law, by being “Jewish” (see 3:20), yet it has always been in the Law and the Prophets, for they pointed to it. The gospel is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.

Justification by Faith

²¹ But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Righteousness from God comes. (niv) Because of its content, many translators make this verse an independent sentence, but it is actually a continued phrase begun in verse 21. The word comes is not in Greek, but some term of arrival or appropriation is made necessary to all who believe. The process that Paul is describing involves God’s revelation of his righteousness, its confirmation by the Law and Prophets, and its reception by individual believers. Through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. (nrsv) The way to acceptance by God is the way of faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in, (believing in) Jesus Christ means putting our confidence in him to forgive our sins, to make us right with God, and to empower us to live the way he taught us. God’s solution is available to all of us regardless of our background or past behavior. And this way is open to all who believe—both Jews and Gentiles. No difference. (niv) A more accurate word is probably “distinction” (nrsv). This word emphasizes the fact that faith in Jesus Christ is the only requirement for receiving God’s righteousness. It also anticipates Paul’s description of our common state as sinners. We all begin in the same place spiritually, and there is only one way out, faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ doesn’t mean we understand everything that Christ has done for us, but it does mean that we believe he has done everything for us!
²² even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Paul has made it clear thus far in his letter that there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles when it comes to final judgment—everyone has sinned. Therefore, no one can share in the glory of God by virtue of their sinlessness. If the law measures the distance between God and his creatures, ten human righteousness is our attempt to bridge that distance by our own efforts. Paul is correct—we all fall short. But what is this glory of God that we do not reach on our own? The word glory (doxes), from which we derive the word doxology, refers to the wonderful and awe-inspiring but indescribable presence of God himself. We tend to think of glory in terms of brightness, but it is certainly more than that. It is utter wholeness, completeness. Sin keeps us from the presence of God. What ought to catch our attention is the fact that our common sinfulness keeps us from reaching the place that we were created to experience. And one of the anticipations of faith in Jesus Christ is that we will share fully in the glory of God (see Romans 8:18, 29-30; Philippians 3:21; 2 Thessalonians 2:14). Sinning confirms our status as sinners, and sin cuts us off from our holy God. Furthermore, sin leads to death (because it disqualifies us from living with God), regardless of how great or small each sin may seem. Sins are deadly, but sinners can be forgiven. There are no distinctions: we have all sinned; we all need a savior; Jesus Christ is the Savior; through faith we can receive his salvation. In order that he alone might be righteous, it was necessary for God to deliver the whole human race to death on the cross in the judgment of his wrath. The death of Jesus is the manifestation of God’s righteousness, it is the place where God has given gracious proof of his own righteousness, the place where alone the righteousness of God will dwell. By sharing in this death we too become partakers of that righteousness. —Dietrich Bonhoeffer
²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Justified freely by His grace. (nkjv) Just as there is no distinction in our fallenness, Paul writes, so there is no distinction in the source of our justification. God justifies us; he declares us “not guilty” for our sins. When a judge in a court of law declares the defendant “not guilty,” all the charges are removed from the person’s record. Legally, it is as if the person had never been accused. When God forgives our sins, our record is wiped clean. From his perspective, it is as though we had never sinned. We do not have to anxiously work while hoping that in the end we will have been good enough to meet God’s approval. Instead, God takes those who believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, justifies them, and then calls them righteous before they’ve even begun to live for him. Our righteousness before God depends entirely on him and can only be accepted as a gift from him. God by His grace assures us of our acceptance and then calls us to serve him as best we can out of sheer love for him. Through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (niv) The word redemption refers to the cost paid by Christ to set sinners free from slavery to sin. Christ paid the debt we owed for violating the righteous demands of the law. In Old Testament times, a person’s debts could result in his being sold as a slave. The next of kin could redeem him (buy his freedom). Christ purchased our freedom, and the price was his own life. Christ has provided all that we need to stand in God’s presence as though we have never done wrong. What he did for us becomes our own when we put our faith in him.
²⁴ being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement. (niv) In describing how God provided us with undeserved righteousness, Paul alludes to the sacrificial system in the Old Testament (see Leviticus 17:11). Only now, the life offered as sacrifice is not a spotless animal, but Christ. God removed our punishment through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, a sacrifice that involved his death, the shedding of his blood. The classic theological term for this process, (sacrifice of atonement) is propitiation (hilasterion). The word signifies a substitutionary sacrifice whereby sinful people can be reconciled to a righteous God. It is used to describe how Christ took our place in receiving the wrath of God poured out for sin. On the cross, Jesus stepped into the line of fire in front of us and absorbed the wrath aimed at us. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, God can accept those who put their trust in Jesus. Through faith in his blood. (niv) Why blood? God had said from the beginning, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Leviticus 17:11 niv). But the blood Paul mentions here is a particular blood—it is his, that is, Christ’s blood. Only the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross was the effective atonement for our sins. Christ stands in our place, having paid the penalty of death for our sin, and he completely satisfied God’s demands. Our faith is in that atonement. It is faith that humbly accepts what has been done on our behalf. As Paul states in 5:9, “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” (For more on Christ’s sacrificial death, see 1 Corinthians 5:7; 10:16; Ephesians 1:7; 2:13; 5:2; Colossians 1:20). Demonstrate his justice … left the sins committed beforehand unpunished. (niv) What happened to people who lived before Christ came and died for sin? If God condemned them, was he being unfair? If he saved them, was Christ’s sacrifice unnecessary? Paul shows that God forgave the sin of all who believe at the cross of Jesus. Old Testament believers looked forward in faith to Christ’s coming and were saved, even though they did not know Jesus’ name or the details of his earthly life. Unlike the Old Testament believers, we know about the God who loved the world so much that he gave his own Son (John 3:16). The question to answer is, Have you put your trust in him? God is just, both in his inherent character, and in his dealings with sinners. Christ’s death relates to both the past and the present. God did not completely reject his people, the Jews, even though they constantly rejected him. He was not being unfairly generous; rather, he was looking forward to the time when Jesus’ death would be effective for all those who believed in God before Jesus came, as well as those who come after. The timeliness of Christ’s death as part of God’s plan and of his death as applying even to the sins of the past was a matter that Paul considers at length in the next chapter. Although our view of the sublimest things is limited and weak, it is most pleasant to be able to catch but a glimpse of them. —Thomas Aquinas
²⁵ whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
To demonstrate at the present time his righteousness. (nkjv) God maintains his righteous character by providing Christ as the perfect and complete sacrifice for sin. While his full justice demanded full payment for sin, he also provided the full payment for those who put their trust in Jesus Christ. To be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (niv) God is just—his answer for dealing with sin always has been death (in the Old Testament, the sacrifice of animals), and he has dealt with sin once and for all in the same manner, except this time, through the death of his own Son. Jesus’ death atones for the believer’s sins and destroys the power of sin in the believer’s life. The only answer to humanity’s plight—that is, death because of sin—was given by God in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This action fulfilled God’s own law and his promises to Israel. The way to receive this answer for ourselves through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul does not hesitate to emphasize God’s divine consistency. God was able to be perfectly just, and at the same time be active as the one who justifies those who trust what he accomplished through Jesus. A god of mechanical and impersonal justice would have left us without hope. But God has revealed himself as personal and loving, while remaining just. Should he grow so foolish, however, as to presume to become righteous, free, saved, and a Christian by means of some good work, he would instantly lose faith and all its benefits, a foolishness aptly illustrated in the fable of the dog who runs along a stream with a piece of meat in his mouth and, deceived by the reflection of the meat in the water, opens his mouth to snap at it and so loses both the meat and the reflection. —Martin Luther
²⁶ for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Boasting … is excluded. In conclusion, Paul writes that since there are no exceptions in God’s plan (3:22), since person must begin with the same realization (3:23) and pass by the same way (3:24-26), there is no room for personal pride. There can be no boasting by Jews or Christians about their heritage, their law, or their works. Instead, God’s law is to be understood in terms of faith. The law is “done” or “observed” by faith. At this point, Paul begins to focus on the word law in a way that anticipates his further discussion of the fact that the requirement of faith was already in place when the law was given. He writes, literally, “So, where is the boasting? Excluded. On the basis of what law? Of works? No, but on the basis of the law of faith.” Paul is confronting the reduction of God’s standard to a list of actions by emphasizing a deeper “law,” the requirement of faith.

t Why is faith the law of God’s kingdom?

t Faith eliminates the pride of human effort, because faith is not a deed that we do.

t Faith exalts what God has done, not what people do.

t Faith admits that we can’t keep the law or measure up to God’s standards—we need help.

t Faith is based on our relationship with God, not our performance for God.
²⁷ Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
A person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. (nrsv) Most religions prescribe specific duties that must be performed to make a person acceptable to God. Christianity is unique in teaching that the good works we do will not make us right with God. No amount of human achievement or progress in personal development will close the gap between God’s moral perfection and our imperfect daily performance. So there can be no basis for pride. Good deeds are important, but they will not earn us eternal life. We are saved only by trusting in what God has done for us through Jesus Christ (see Ephesians 2:8-10).
²⁸ For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
Is God the God of Jews only? (nrsv) Again, the Jews cannot claim sole propriety of God or deny that Gentiles can also receive God’s saving grace. The Old Testament consistently recorded God’s inclusion of the Gentiles in his plans. God had promised Abraham, “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3 niv). The fact that the Jews had been chosen for special service to the rest of the world had become horribly twisted into prideful separation from the world. Paul reminds his readers of this fact and develops the thought in the next part of his letter. We must not think that God belongs to our group only. Our church or denomination cannot contain all of Christ’s fullness. Only the complete body can complement the head, Jesus Christ.
²⁹ Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
There is only one God. (niv) A key Hebrew scripture reads: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4 niv)—a prayer uttered by pious Jews every day. Paul simply states the logical necessity. If God really is the one and only God, then he is God of all his creation and calls both Jews and Gentiles to faith in him. The question of justification will not be settled by God according to those who have and have not been circumcised, but rather by their faith, whatever their physical lineage.
³⁰ since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? … We uphold the law. (niv) Paul envisions the Jewish critic raising these last concerned and valid questions: “Does faith wipe out Judaism, cancel our Scriptures, end our customs? If we are saved by faith, does that mean we no longer need to obey God’s laws?” Paul answers, “Absolutely not!” In fact, only when we trust Jesus can we fulfill the righteous requirements of the law. The law is not something that only the Jews can “do” for God; the law is for both Jews and Gentiles and can only be “done” through faith in Christ. Faith returns the law to its proper place and role in God’s plan for people. Faith does not wipe out the Old Testament; rather, it makes God’s dealings with the Jewish people understandable. (See also 5:20-21; 8:3-4; 13:9-10; Galatians 3:24-29; 1 Timothy 1:8.) In order to show the priority of faith, Paul feels compelled to turn his readers’ attention to the origins of the Jewish race. He invites Abraham to make a contribution to the discussion by providing proof that faith was already the sole requirement between God and his creatures long before the Mosaic law was given.
³¹ Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.