Romans 3:21-26
In the previous verse we learned that the purpose of the law was to show us our sin nature and our desperate need for a savior. We cannot save ourselves. We cannot keep the law. However we have some wonderful news! Romans 3:21-26 tells us the wonderful news!
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
First of all, in verse 21it starts with "But now". "But now" means that something is now different from before and it is GOOD NEWS! Always try to pay attention to when Paul says, "But now" throughout his epistles.
Paul goes on to explain WHY this is good news and what is different and he says, "the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;". So, wow, the very righteousness OF God WITHOUT the law is manifested? He explains HOW by saying, "22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:"
Paul is saying here that we can have God's very own righteousness imputed to us if we simply believe the gospel! The faith OF Jesus Christ is regarding HIS faithfulness to go to the cross, die for our sins, be buried and then he rose again for our justification. When we place our faith in His faithfulness we are saved unto eternal life! This is WONDERFUL NEWS!
He reminds us again, to emphasize what has been taught in Romans chapters 1-3 by saying, 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;". There is absolutely NO WAY that we could ever save ourselves. In order for mankind to have any hope of salvation, God had to send His very own Son to be a propitiation for our sins. And Christ made the choice to obey the will of His Father by going to the cross. Then he was buried and then the whole Godhead raised Jesus from the dead. Because he had never sinned, the grave could not hold or contain him. He was the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He also only had to do this ONCE (Which is why we should NEVER partake of a Catholic or Lutheran communion because they believe that they are crucifying the Lord every time they have communion! This is blasphemy against the finished work of the cross!).
Paul goes on to clarify also that we are saved by grace through faith alone PLUS NOTHING by saying, "24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"
We are ONLY justified by simply believing how that Christ Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again for our justification. We cannot do anything to try to earn our salvation! We must simply believe the gospel.
Paul explains even further, "25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" again, we are to have faith in what Christ did for us. Christ paid our sin debt with His very own precious blood. The Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross fully satisfied the wrath of God against sin.
Paul goes on to say, "26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." To "believeth in Jesus" means to believe the gospel given to us today, which is how that Christ Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again for our justification. **note: in verse 26 when it says believeth in Jesus it does also refer to believers from other dispensations who have trusted in God to save them and believed whatever gospel was given to them at that time.
The amazing thing is that Christ's sacrifice also paid for the sins of those before the cross and into the future to the very last sinner to ever be born. Even though there are different dispensations and different gospels in scripture, all people have an opportunity to be saved because of what Jesus did for us (even O.ld Testament saints are saved because of what Christ Jesus did for us). However this doesn't mean that everyone IS automatically saved. We must believe whatever gospel we are given at that time in order to be saved. Today in the dispensation of grace we are to believe the gospel of the grace of God. Also, the "old Testament saints" had to wait until after the cross to have paradise taken up to heaven (which was in the heart of the earth and a giant chasm separated paradise and hell there; now its just hell in the heart of the earth). This is one reason why it says, "at this time his righteousness:". The "Old Testament saints" were saved, but needed to wait until Christ paid the sin debt in order for them to be declared fully righteous. Believers today are declared fully righteous from the very moment that we believe the gospel, and we have Christ's righteousness imputed to us which we will learn more about.
In the next episode we will learn more about our justification.
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