The Righteousness of God
Romans 3:20-26
What is your response to “the righteousness of God”. Does it make you excited to know more about God? Are you indifferent about “the righteousness of God”? There was an Augustinian Monk that found the concept of “the righteousness of God” repulsive.
He hated this concept because God is righteous, we are unrighteous, and God punishes the unrighteous person. He tried everything to strive for this level of righteousness. He even tortured himself by sleeping without clothes on the cold stone floor in the winter to pay for the sins of his flesh. He almost died in the process.
He even took a pilgrimage to Rome, climbed a holy staircase and said the Lord’s prayer before each step and kissed each one as he climbed it on his knees. In the process this monk, Martin Luther, began teaching the book of Romans. In Chapter one the concept of “the righteousness of God” was there.
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
Upon this, a righteous by faith, the just shall live by faith Martin Luther was born again in that tower experience. As violently as he opposed the righteousness of God, he now embraced it. How miserable is God’s righteousness if we must work up to it. How wonderful it is when it is given freely to us.
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:20-26)
Later Martin Luther said that this passage was the chief point, and the very central place of the Roman epistle and the whole Bible. When we look at this passage, we will agree with him. The righteousness of God as set forth here becomes something to embrace. We see the righteousness of God in three aspects, it is through faith, it is freely given by grace and it is costly because it required the blood of Christ.
Already I have mentioned about how Martin Luther was trying and failing to achieve the righteousness of God by striving for it. It was the same story of the Apostle Paul. In this passage Paul is sharing what he found in his journey from trying to pleas God with his own righteousness to faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul is a devout Pharisee a Hebrew of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; and as for legalistic righteousness faultless (Philippians 3:6). He believed he could achieve a right standing by keeping the law, but he was to find out that is not possible. If anyone could have done it, he would have. But now what Paul explains in this passage is apart from the law.
The law cannot save us. Only God’s righteousness through faith can we be saved. The law and the prophets, while they cannot save, they do testify that it is God’s righteousness that comes through faith that saves us.
It is Jesus Christ in whom we place our faith. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, (Romans 3:22). This is a definitive statement that saving faith must embrace Jesus. Our trust must be in Christ.
Faith has no merit. Our faith must be in Christ has all merit. All the faith in the world in anything other than Christ will not save. If you are riding on an airplane and the engine fails, then faith in the airplane is meaningless. We are not saved for faith, but by faith. Faith must be linked to Jesus Christ who came to die for sinners.
We see the background in Romans 3:23 of why all of us need to believe in Christ. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23). It is because all have sinned. It is because there is no righteousness, and all mankind is without righteousness.
The meaning is that all human beings as individuals have sinned. No one has anything to offer that could bring about the love of God. When we are sharing Christ we ask people to acknowledge they have individually sinned. We ask them are you willing to turn from your sin? The background to this is man’s unrighteousness. That is why we must turn to Christ for God’s righteousness. We receive God’s righteousness through faith, faith in Jesus Christ.
Our faith is not a merit earning salvation, faith is the means through which the gift is given. Are you relying on anything in yourself for your salvation, church membership or being a good person? We our saved by grace through faith. Grace is the undeserved favor we receive.
Our salvation and receiving God’s righteousness come as underserved favor. We never earn it. In Romans 2:23 all have sin it is clear none of us deserve the righteousness of God. Not mearly a free gift but a gift to those who deserve the opposite.
Jesus well illustrated the idea of grace in the story of the prodical son. The younger son wanted the inheritance before it was the proper time. He took it and squandered it in wild living. He went back to his father to work as a hired hand. He said he was no longer worthy to be called a son. The father ran to him and kissed him. He gave him the best robe, ring on his finger, and he slaughtered the fattened calf to celebrate the return of his son. He did not deserve it. This is grace.
If you work for your employer and he gives you a paycheck then that is not grace you earned it. If you did not work and he gives you money that is grace. It is an undeserved gift. The grace of God comes without cost to us. There is no price tag.
We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ. and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24) Justification is based on the sufficiency in Christ and a believer is righteous. It is a matter of being declared righteous. The penalty for sin is paid. What we could never achieve in our own efforts.
In justification Christ and the believer are brought into such a unity that when God looks in the believer, He sees the righteousness of Christ. Being justified is in the present tense. It is for now. It is not just for going to heaven but for walking by as a justified believer living with Christ in us and living by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We are deemed righteous because the prescribed penalty has been paid. The idea is like a courtroom. A guilty man stands before a righteous judge quits the man. But more than acquitted, guilt is determined and paid by the judge. God is not overlooking our sin. We have been found guilty of sin and the penalty has been paid, for the one who puts his faith in Christ.
This is grace freely given. We don’t deserve our salvation. It is given to us. Grace freely given yes. We don’t deserve our salvation; it is given freely. We don’t deserve our salvation it is given to us. Grace is given freely to us, yes, but not without a cost paid by God. The cost of our righteousness in God was paid when Christ died on the cross.
and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:24-26)
The cross reveals the justice of God in punishing sins. Salvation is given freely to us, but it cost God his own Son. The precious blood of Jesus was spilled. It’s not a matter of blood spilled, but whose blood, Jesus Christ creator and life giver.
The cross is a reminder that no one sins shall escape punishment. None shall be saved except through the blood of Christ. God set a high value on the soul of man; the price was the blood of Christ. We must never take lightly Christ ding for us the just for the unjust to bring us to God. He shed his blood that we might have salvation.
Paul uses the word redemption. The word used in that day to describe the liberation of slaves. It involved the payment of money. It is like you are on the slave block, a slave to sin. The price is paid, and you are set free. The Old Testament described Israel in bondage in Egypt and the Exodus at the deliverance from slavery.
We are enslaved to sin and God redeems us from bondage with the payment of Christ’s blood. The word used is sacrifice. It brings up the Old Testament mercy seat (Leviticus 16:1-34). The blood of the bull was sprinkled on the mercy seat on the day of atonement. The blood of Christ constitutes the sacrifice. The emphasis is on the substitutionary death of Christ. His blood pays the penalty for our sin.
Christ is both the high priest who offers the sacrifice, and he becomes the sacrifice. This is an eternal redemption once for all, not repeated as in the day of atonement. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, the blood of Christ has paid the penalty for our sin.
God’s justice is not compromised. Yes, he forgives us of our debt, but he provides the payment, at a high cost. No contradiction between justice and mercy exists in our redemption. The provision of God’s righteousness through faith, by grace at the high cost of the death of Christ.
Jesus freely gives salvation to all, but he warned us to count the cost. To the one who says I will follow you anywhere Jesus said, the foxes have holes, the birds have their nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. Jesus said, if anyone will follow me let him deny himself take up his cross and follow me.
The expression of faith means a whole commitment to Jesus. The rich young ruler turned away because he was not ready to follow wholeheartedly. Make a commitment to Christ that Jesus death on the cross pay for your sins that you many know the righteousness of God. Martin Luther was born again in that tower experience and embraced the righteousness of God. Each of us should have that same transformation.
