If there is one word that describes Paul's underlying theme throughout the vast majority of his letter up to this point, I think it could be death.
He has addressed both Jews and Greeks, explaining how each is equally and justly condemned to eternal death - no matter how good the works, no matter extreme the passion, no matter how ignorant anyone may be to the gospel - we are all completely and utterly sinful in our lost state...
And, (without a miracle) we will continue to love the sin that blinds us from seeing our condemnation all the way to hell!
This doesn't paint a very hopeful picture of humanity, so why does God instruct Paul to spend so much time describing the despair, the evil, the sinfulness of the human race?
If we don't have a correct, biblical understanding of our sinfulness - in light of God's righteousness - we will never have a correct, biblical understanding of our need for a Savior, we will never be able to grasp what was accomplished on the cross, and - as a result - we will rob God of the glory He deserves.
Now, to verses 21 and 22 of Chapter 3. After having our eyes opened to just how sinful, evil, and desperate we are in our lost state, we come across two of the smallest, yet most powerful words in the Bible:
But now
There is something else Paul has to tell us, apart from condemnation! That's not the end of the story! These two words ... "but now" ... shift the entire theme of the letter. Now it's about something other than condemnation! We should rejoice, praising God that He didn't leave us to be the people described in the first part of this letter. He has something much, much more amazing planned for us!
the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law
This is what the "but now" is all about. Previous to Christ coming to earth, God gave the Jews laws and regulations to live by. These things pointed to the righteousness of God by revealing His perfect and holy character. They revealed sinfulness through the inability to perfectly satisfy the commands.
Now, God has revealed His righteousness in a different way, apart from the law. This was extremely important for Paul's Jewish audience. After destroying their belief that their attempts to keep the laws that God commanded would somehow result in salvation, Paul is giving them the correct (and only) way to enjoy a relationship with God - and salvation.
although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it
Paul's point was not to discount the purpose of the law. The law in itself pointed to the righteousness of God, as did the prophets. They all pointed to the day when God's righteousness would be revealed not in words and commands, but in the flesh. This was the truth that the Jews had been tripping over:
Salvation is not about keeping written commands - Salvation is about recognizing, believing, and trusting in who Jesus is and what He accomplished in His life, death, and resurrection!
It was always about Christ - always has been and always will be!
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
This is the righteousness that is revealed. It is of God - He is the source - and it available through faith in Jesus Christ! This is an awesome, biblical truth. The perfect righteousness of God is available to us - the evil, sinful, condemned people described earlier in Romans! This is how God responded to our love for anything and everything other than Him - He made true salvation available to us!
When we put our faith in Christ alone, we are credited with the righteousness of God - He sees us as as truly righteous, apart from anything of ourselves! The righteousness of God is available to us, and God wants to wrap us in it - so that when He sees us He sees the perfect righteousness that was lived out by His Son, for His children!
The only way we can experience a relationship with God, and eternal life with Him, is if we are completely covered in His righteousness.
This is what the laws and prophets all pointed to - this is Salvation!
The righteousness that was revealed as unattainable is available! Hallelujah!
For there is no distinction
Just as all are condemned, with no favor given to a particular race, nation, or denomination - there is no distinction in who God has made His rightesousness available to. All people have had His righteousness, and forgiveness, made available to them!
What an awesome, powerful, loving, selfless God - full of grace and mercy!
As children of this amazing God, we need to recognize our tendencies to rob Him of the glory that only He deserves. We all have our own idea of what a Christian should look and act like...but, when we attempt to add rules or laws, even commands laid out in the Bible, to salvation - we begin to discredit the work that Christ fully accomplished and finished.
It's easy to fall into the same trap that the Jews did - God gave us commands, so we begin to think that as we keep them we are somehow gaining acceptance from Him. The only way to be accepted by God is through faith in Jesus Christ - and that acceptance is full and complete, there is no way to become more accepted by God.
We can't put the cart before the horse, we can't attempt to live a life of good works in order to obtain a relationship with God.
Our life will point to God, and bring Him glory by good works that He creates through us, as we draw close to Him, as our relationship with Him strengthens, and as our love for Him grows. As mentioned before, we need a proper understanding of what was accomplished by Christ through His life, death and resurrection in order to understand what God is offering to us.
No amount of church going, praying, reading, giving, or any other noble thing will allow a condemned sinner to become anything other than condemned sinner!
Our life will point to God, and bring Him glory by good works that He creates through us, as we draw close to Him, as our relationship with Him strengthens, and as our love for Him grows. As mentioned before, we need a proper understanding of what was accomplished by Christ through His life, death and resurrection in order to understand what God is offering to us.
Doing things in order to gain acceptance from God is an attempt to use the law for the very thing Paul says it cannot do - salvation. The law that reveals God's character can and will reveal our need for salvation - but never has and never will offer an answer within itself for that need.
Laws and commands can only point to the answer - Jesus Christ!
We will see, as we move through Romans, how complete the work of Christ is, and how we should live - not to gain God's acceptance, but instead in thankfulness of His acceptance!
It's important that we all pray for God to give us a solid understanding of who we were before Christ, how much we loved our sin, and who we served. We also need to pray for a solid understanding of what Christ accomplished for us. We are here to serve and glorify God, and every bit of the Bible helps us better understand how to do this!
Please share any wisdom and insight you may have if you feel led to do so!
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I found this article very helpful in teaching an adult class.
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