Sermons
The Righteousness of God Manifest
Series: The Message of Romans3The Message of Romans
The Righteousness of God Manifest
Rom 3:21-30
Introduction:
1. Reading of Rom. 3:21-26. This may be the most important paragraph in Scripture. It may be the most important paragraph ever written.
2. In our previous studies we have observed that the gospel of God was promised beforehand through God’s prophets in the Scriptures. Paul, in Romans, is not saying anything new, except that Jesus is the promised One, the Son of God, proven so by His resurrection from the dead.
3. His thesis is that men live by faith in the power of God.
4. In 1:18-3:20 he has explained that all men, Gentiles, AND Jews, are under condemnation.
a. The Gentiles are condemned because they have violated the law of God written in their
hearts.
b. The Jews are condemned because they have violated the law of God as represented in the
Law of Moses.
c. He concludes that the law was given “that every mouth may be closed and all the world
may become accountable to God; because by the works of the law no flesh will be justified
in His sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin” (3:20).
5. Paul’s message is that all are guilty of sin. The way of righteousness by law is forever closed to sinners. All fall under the condemnation of God. This is what the law makes clear. Not good news. Not good news at all.
6. “But now apart from the law (law keeping) the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,” a righteousness that comes from God through faith in Jesus Christ is available for all who believe. Now that’s good news!!!
7. The question is, “How is this even possible?” Paul will explain.
Discussion:
I. It is apart from law but witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.
A. Notice that Paul uses “the law” in two different senses in verse 21.
1. The righteousness of God is “apart from the law.”
2. Yet, it is witnessed by “the Law and the Prophets.”
3. Paul has been using the concept of law in different senses already.
a. He has spoken of the Gentiles as having “the law written in their hearts.” This is the
law of God that comes as a result of being created in God’s image. It is founded upon
creation. It is instinctive (1:20; 2:14-15).
b. He has spoken of the Jew who “had in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and
truth” (2:20). What law did these Jews have? They had the written revelation given
through Moses and the prophets in the Scriptures.
c. All of it constitutes Law that comes from God. And both groups had violated the law
of God. Therefore, they could not be justified by law (i.e., by law keeping).
B. Thus, apart from law (keeping) the righteousness of God has been manifested. Yet, it
is witnessed “by the Law and the Prophets.”
1. The Law and the Prophets is a special designation referencing the first five books of
the O.T. (the books of Moses) and the rest of the O.T. known as the Prophets.
2. Jesus used this designation (Matt. 5:17; 11:13; 22:40; Lk. 16:16).
3. Luke used this designation (Acts 28:23).
4. Paul (Acts 24:14; and here in Rom. 3:21).
C. When Paul says the righteousness of God has been witnessed “by the Law and the
Prophets” he is saying basically the same thing he said in Rom. 1:2. There he spoke of
“the gospel of God promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy
Scriptures.” The gospel, the righteousness of God, is witnessed in the O.T. Scriptures.
II. The righteousness of God.
A. What is it?
1. Often when we think of the righteousness of God we think of God’s holy character.
This is certainly something that is revealed in the Law and the Prophets.
2. But that is not what Paul is referring to here. Here he is referring to a righteousness
that comes to us “through faith in Jesus Christ.” It is available to all who believe
whether Jew or Gentile.
3. It is a righteousness that comes from God as a gift by His grace (24). See Phil. 3:7-9.
B. It comes through faith (22).
1. This faith is not something miraculously infused into us against our will.
2. This faith is available to “all those who believe.” Those who believe what? Paul is
going to answer that in some detail. But fundamentally, it involves belief in what God
has done through Jesus Christ to secure our forgiveness.
C. It comes as a gift (24).
1. It is not the faith that comes as a gift, but the justification.
2. We are “justified as a gift by His grace.”
3. Paul has made it clear that all are under condemnation because of sin.
4. To be justified means to be treated as though you were not guilty.
5. We are guilty, but God treats believers as though they were not guilty. Even though we
deserve death He does not inflict the death penalty on the guilty.
6. He gives us what we do not deserve.
D. It is made possible by God’s grace (24).
1. Grace, by definition, is favor bestowed that is not deserved.
2. Sinners deserve death. Law says . . .
“Break the commandments and pay the penalty.”
3. But grace says, “Break the commandments and escape the penalty.”
E. It is accomplished through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus (24).
1. Redemption is a concept seen in the O.T. (Cf. Ex. 13:11-13; Lev. 25:47-49; 27:11-19;
Num. 18:14-16).
2. To redeem means to “buy back.” Christ has paid the ransom price for sinners. We
were in bondage to sin, but He has paid the price for our freedom (1 Pet. 1:18-19;
Matt. 20:28; Eph. 1:7).
3. Christ has paid our debt of death by dying for us (Rom. 5:8).
F. He is the propitiation in His blood (25).
1. Propitiation is a word that is not used often.
2. The key element of propitiation is the satisfaction of God’s wrath against sin.
3. Note Rom. 5:9.
4. The word and its cognates are used in Heb. 9:5; 1 Jn. 2:2; 4:10
5. God has accepted the consequence of our sin on Himself. (Be careful NOT to think
that “the Father killed His Son for us.” It is more appropriate to think, “Deity
(Father, Son, Holy Spirit together) accepted the consequence of our sin.”)
6. It is the blood of Jesus that addressed the wrath of God.
G. In this way God is both just and justifier.
1. He is just in that sin received its just payment.
Law says, “Keep the commandments and escape the penalty. Break the
commandments and pay the penalty.” There was a penalty to be paid for our
violations. It was on the cross.
2. He is justifier in that He allows us to go free from the penalty.
Grace says, “Keep the commandments and pay the penalty. Break the
commandments and escape the penalty.” Christ has kept the commandments but
paid the penalty. “That’s not fair,” you object. You are right. It is more than fair.
That’s what grace is. Favor that is NOT deserved! “He made Him who knew no sin to
be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2
Cor. 5:21).
3. This is possible because of the forbearance of God. This forbearance involves His
patience toward us allowing for the execution of His redemptive plan and our
acceptance of it (cf. Rom. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9).
H. It is accepted by faith (Rom. 3:26).
1. That is, by placing our trust in God’s power to save.
2. By trusting in the blood of Jesus Christ.
III. This leaves no room for boasting (Rom. 3:27-30).
A. Why? Because we have sinned and cannot make up for it. Cf. Lk. 17:10. There is
nothing above and beyond that we can do. There is no extra-credit work!
B. God has acted to redeem us by taking the penalty upon Himself.
C. The righteousness of God comes to us as a gift.
D. We accept it by casting ourselves at His feet in humility believing in the all-sufficiency of
what He has done.
Conclusion:
1. Good news!! God has redeemed us from death.
2. He will treat us as though we were not guilty.
3. He has paid the penalty.
4. Will you place your trust in what He has done?
5. You see, “The gospel is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes.” “The just by faith shall live.”
