Romans Part 14
Paul's point is that something apart from the law is needed once transgression has taken place. The law reveals sin, but it cannot remove the guilt of sin.
After discussing God's wrath against unrighteousness and establishing that all mankind is under sin, Paul returns to the great theme of the book: the righteousness of God. In Romans 3:21 he writes,
"But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets."
This does not mean that the law is opposed to this righteousness. In fact, Paul says that the Law and the Prophets witnessed it. They pointed forward to it and testified concerning it. He continues,
"Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference." (Romans 3:22)
Then comes one of the great summary statements of Scripture:
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
Paul's point is that something apart from the law is needed once transgression has taken place. The law reveals sin, but it cannot remove the guilt of sin. The Law and the Prophets pointed forward to Jesus Christ, through whom righteousness comes by faith. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile in this regard because all have sinned and fall short of God's glory.
Even after conversion, when God gives His Holy Spirit and helps us keep His law, we still need the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to bring us into that relationship with God. The Spirit helps us grow, overcome, and be transformed, but the sacrifice of Christ is what makes forgiveness and justification possible.
A question often arises regarding Paul's use of the phrase "the law." Is he referring only to the Ten Commandments, or to the entire Pentateuch? A careful answer is that it is not exactly identical to either. The Ten Commandments are an expression of God's eternal law, but they do not exhaust the full depth of God's will. Jesus demonstrated this when He taught that adultery is not merely the physical act but also lust in the heart. The written commandments point to deeper spiritual principles.
Likewise, the Pentateuch contains many laws given for a particular time, place, priesthood, and system of worship. Some of those are not practiced in the same outward form today. We do not offer animal sacrifices because the eternal principle of sacrifice is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. We do not have the Levitical priesthood functioning over us in the same way because Jesus Christ is our High Priest. The tabernacle and temple services pointed forward to spiritual realities that the book of Hebrews explains more fully.
When Paul speaks of the law of God in this context, it is helpful to think of the eternal law of God that stands behind and is expressed through the written commandments, the Pentateuch, and the whole revealed will of God. A useful question when reading Old Testament law is not merely, "Is this for me in the same outward form?" but "How does this apply to me now through Christ, the New Covenant, and the spiritual intent of God's law?"
Paul then explains how justification takes place:
"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:24)
He continues,
"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." (Romans 3:25)
This section introduces several important terms. First is justification. Justification means being made right with God or declared righteous before God. It is a legal term in which a judgment is rendered, and a person is counted right before God. Paul makes clear that we are not justified by law-keeping. We are justified freely by grace. Grace must be free, or it is no longer grace. If we earned it, it would be owed to us and would no longer be mercy. This connects closely with Ephesians 2:8:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith."
Paul also speaks of redemption. Redemption means being bought back. God created us, so we belong to Him. Yet when we sin, we place ourselves under the penalty of sin, which is death. That penalty is not simply removed or ignored. It must be paid. The penalty for our sins was paid by Jesus Christ. Through His blood we are bought back. The imagery also reflects the language of slavery. In the Roman world, redemption could describe buying a slave out of the marketplace. Spiritually, we are bought out of slavery to sin. Paul will develop this theme further in Romans 6 when he discusses no longer being slaves of sin.
Paul also uses the word propitiation; a term closely connected with the mercy seat and the Day of Atonement. The Greek word is used elsewhere in Hebrews 9:5 to refer to the mercy seat, the covering of the Ark of the Covenant. This connection links Romans 3:25 to the Day of Atonement. The mercy seat was the place where God's presence appeared above the Ark, and on the Day of Atonement the high priest sprinkled blood in connection with it. Leviticus 16 records the detailed ritual for cleansing, forgiveness, and acceptance before God, while Hebrews 9 and 10 explain how Jesus Christ fulfilled both the priestly role and the sacrificial role.
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is therefore not only about forgiveness from sin, though it certainly includes that. It also brings atonement, making us at one with God, reconciling us to Him, and restoring fellowship with Him.
Finally, Paul says that God "passed over the sins that were previously committed." (Romans 3:25)
This does not mean God ignored sin or pretended it did not matter. Rather, God restrained Himself from executing full judgment immediately while His plan of salvation unfolded. This connects with Romans 9:22, where Paul speaks of God enduring "with much long-suffering" vessels of wrath.
God has shown enormous patience with mankind. He has allowed sin to continue for a time, not because sin is insignificant, but because He is working out a plan that brings people to repentance, judgment, mercy, and ultimately salvation according to His purpose.
Epistles of Paul is a course taught at ABC by Mr. Steve Myers. Recordings from the 2023–2024 class year are available on the ABC website.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
