A Study of The Book of Romans

Lesson 23 Chapter 3:21 – 24

1. Verse 21 - 22 “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; (22.)Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:”
1. The word “righteousness of God” means the justification of God or the way of justification.

a. Verse 21 tells us “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested…” The word “manifested” means to render apparent or clear. That salvation does not include works.

b. Verse 22 “…the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe…” It is by faith and without works; this is a fact without any reservations.

c. Verse 20 says “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight…”

d. Verse 28 says “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

e. Galatians 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

f. This is without a doubt as Paul well said in verse 19 “…that every mouth may be stopped…” There is no debate.

g. Verse 21 “…being witnessed by the law and the prophets” It was never part of salvation not even in Old Testament times. Galatians 3:8 “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”

2. Verse 22 “…which is by faith of Jesus Christ…”

a. Not that we are saved by Christ’s faith but rather He gives us enough faith to believe. Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

b. When we say salvation is totally from the Lord that is exactly what is meant, from election, to His death burial and resurrection, to His calling and the faith given to us.

c. Total Depravity means there is nothing in us that can turn our hearts to Christ, not even our own faith. I believe that if man had the faith it took to save him he could believe on his own. I believe it is considered our faith in that we have it and believe with it, but it has to be from Christ as a gift just as salvation in totality is a gift from Christ.

3. Verse 22 “unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” It is the very same for all, there is one faith and one salvation and one way to be saved.
1. Verse 23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
1. Just as there I one way to be saved and it is accomplished one way, all need it.
2. “For all have… come short of the glory of God;” Just as all have sinned and since all have sinned, all have come short of pleasing God. John 5:41 “I receive not honour from men.” Ecclesiastes 7:20 “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” John 12:43 "For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."
3. Total depravity seeks to please man and to boast on man and not God.
2. Verse 24 “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”
1. While we are not made righteous or justified by works we are justified by His wonderful grace.

a. Notice the word “freely” this word comes from the Greek word “dōrean” pronounced do-reh-an and it means “without a cause” So Paul says being justified without a cause by his grace, God had no reason outside of Grace to justify us. This very same Greek word is used also in John 15:25 "But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, they hated me without a cause." While God had no reason to save us outside of Grace, man has no cause to hate God except for total depravity.

b. We are saved because God chose to save us, if it were because of anything we have done it could not be of grace nor a gift but rather a earned labor.

2. “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

a. The word “redemption” means “(the act) ransom in full” so by grace we were justified by the ransom (paid in full) by Christ. Now what part is of works?

b. Life Application Bible Commentary; “The word redemption refers to the cost paid by Christ to set sinners free from slavery to sin. Christ paid the debt we owed for violating the righteous demands of the law. In Old Testament times, a person's debts could result in his being sold as a slave. The next of kin could redeem him (buy his freedom). Christ purchased our freedom, and the price was his own life. Christ has provided all that we need to stand in God's presence as though we have never done wrong. What he did for us becomes our own when we put our faith in him.” Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"

c. Hebrews 9:15 “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”