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JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

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Romans chapter 3, verses 21 to 31

In this passage we have a careful description of the manifestation of the nature of God's perfect justice, designed to meet the need of salvation of all sinful humanity, which was subject to judgement and eternal damnation.

The justice of God manifests the following characteristics:

It surpasses the law: the perfect law of God was given to the people of Israel and proved that no-one can live by the standards of God's perfect justice. But the righteousness of God goes beyond the law (which is the sense of "apart from the law" in our translation to English). The justice of God surpasses the law, which was insufficient and incapable to make the justification of man, but comes entirely by the "grace" of God to us (verse 24).

It is witnessed by the law and the prophets: the fact that the righteousness from God comes through His grace is not a novelty, for it is attested by the Old Testament ("the law and the prophets") and is therefore continually manifested by God himself. See, eg, Isaiah 51:5-6, 8, 56:1, Daniel 9:24).

It is accomplished through faith in Jesus Christ alone: The Old Testament forsees the ultimate act of justice through the atoning death of the innocent Son of God, so that all who believe in Him may take on His righteousness (Galatians 2:16). In this God also revealed His love (1 John 4:10). This faith is means complete trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as our only Saviour from sin, and our only hope of going to heaven. It is based on the revelation of the Person and work of Christ given in the Bible. Faith is not a leap in the dark: it requires the best evidence, and it is found in the infallible Word of God. Faith is logical and reasonable. What is more reasonable than for the creature to trust in his Creator? Faith is not a work of value by which a man earns or comes to earn salvation. Man can not boast because he believes in the Lord for it would be foolish not to believe. Faith is not an attempt to earn salvation, but is the mere acceptance of salvation that God offers as a gift.

It makes no distinction between Jew and Gentile: justification by faith in Christ is available to all mankind under the same conditions without discrimination. Both those who received the law (the Jews) as the others (the Gentiles) have sinned and been found wanting of the glory of God. But it applies only to believers; that is, it is only effective in the lives of those who accept the Lord Jesus through a definite act of faith. Forgiveness is for everyone, but only becomes valid when accepted in the life of an individual.

It is free: by the grace of God, salvation is offered free to all, through the payment made by Jesus Christ for the redemption of our sins (Matthew 20:28). God was pleased to accept His innocent blood as sufficient propitiation (1 John 2:2), for the sin of all who accept His salvation, in the condition it is offered (John 3:16) through faith in Christ.

It also reaches the past: God, in His forbearance, passed over the sins previously committed, and the death of Christ paid for them (Acts 14:16, 17:30, Hebrews 9:15).

This is proof that God is Just and the Justifier: the supreme justice of God is one of His attributes and is evidenced by how he justified the sinner. His justice demanded punishment for sin, but His mercy would not let him leave man to suffer eternal death to which he was sentenced, without giving him the opportunity to be saved if he repented. The problem faced and solved by God is thus presented in the most acute and profound manner:

• The penalty for sin had to be paid even if there is repentance, and man would still be subject to sin because of his sinful nature. The righteousness of God therefore prevented Him from declaring that man was righteous.

• The infinite grace of God was then revealed in order to comply with His supreme justice and still save the repentant sinner:

• Paying for sin Himself (by giving His only begotten Son to die on the cross),

• and accepting the simple faith of the sinner to give him forgiveness.

Thus there was punishment for sin and forgiveness for the sinner.

As a result, justification by faith and nothing else resulted in excluding all the boasting of man, no one can boast of being superior to others, either because he has the law, or because he does good works. Instead, "justice comes by the law of faith": this is a new "law" to approximate justice, grace, love and mercy of God, which is the Gospel of Christ.

The Gospel proclaims that man is justified by faith without the deeds, both Jew ("circumcision") and the Gentile ("uncircumcision") because God is one (the Jews forgot this, and not a few Christian Gentiles too, throughout history).

But, far from being nullified by faith, the law still provides for the purpose it was intended: to bring the full knowledge of sin to man (v.20). The law demands perfect obedience. The penalty for breaking the law, eternal death, must be paid.

The Gospel declares that Christ died to pay the penalty of breaking the law. He did not treat the law as something that did not deserve attention, but paid the penalty in full by giving His life on Calvary's cross, He himself being righteous and sinless.

Now who violates the law can benefit from the fact that Christ paid the penalty instead. Thus, the Gospel of salvation confirms the law by insisting that its greatest demands should not only be but have fully been respected.

In chapter 4 which follows, we will see how Abraham himself was an example of faith, illustrated in his life. Without Christ and the Holy Spirit no one can fully obey God's law, and it is only through faith in Christ that we are able to fulfil it.

 

R David Jones

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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.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,
30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Romans chapter 3 verses 21 to 31