In this episode, I walk through Romans 3:21-26. This passage is the turning point of Romans where Paul is going to introduce us to grace through Jesus Christ. These six verses will show how Jesus has taken the payment for our sin on the cross and through His death, He has made a way for everyone to have access to God the Father in Heaven.

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” Verses 21-22a

The righteousness of God appearing or manifesting is speaking of Jesus coming down from Heaven living a perfect life, dying a horrible death, and rising from the dead on the third day. The Bible often speaks of the life, death, and resurrection as the grace or righteousness of God appearing. Salvation did not come from the Law but through Jesus which is exactly what the Law and the Prophets said would happen. Jesus was the subject of countless Old Testament prophesies which is what Paul is referring to here. In verse 22, Paul sums up the Christian faith well, “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe,” meaning anyone can find righteousness and salvation by having faith and believing in Jesus.

“For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” Verses 22b-24

Paul returns to the idea that all have sinned but this time he goes a few steps forward. The central idea of the phrase, “justified by his grace as a gift,” is that justification of sins and true righteousness cannot be earned or obtained through human effort. Paul is showing that it is only through the gift of God that one can be found righteous and justified. This gift of grace is a cornerstone teaching of the New Testament and one that Christians have fought over for years. In fact, this idea is one that Martin Luther fought for in the Protestant Reformation. This idea was part of his five solas: Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone), Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), Solus Christus (Christ Alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (to the Glory of God Alone). The idea that is Martin Luther fought for is the same that the Apostle Paul lays out here which is that the justification of sins is only found through the grace of God that is received when a person places their faith in Christ and Christ alone. Paul shows that redemption is found only in Jesus.

“whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Verses 25-26

The term propitiation has a two part definition: (a) the atonement of Christ has satisfied the wrath of God, and (b) those who believe in Jesus find favor from God. The death of Jesus Christ is taught to be perfect sacrifice for humanity. Jesus is the only one who has been seen as perfect in the sight of God for He never sinned. This is why salvation and justification can only be found through Him. Paul goes on to show that God looked past former sins as He looked to the cross knowing that Jesus would pay the full payment for the sins of humanity. Paul pleads that God’s patience in looking past former sins was to show the righteousness of God through Jesus as He took the wrath of God upon Himself, and in doing so became the justifier of all those who would believe.

In summary, Romans 3:21-26 shows that the love and justice of God was satisfied through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This passage transitions the book of Romans from the first part which was mainly showing the wrath of God and the sins of humanity to the second part which shows that grace is found through faith in Jesus Christ. As we continue to study the book of Romans, we will see that both the Jews and the Gentiles had access to this free gift of grace.