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Righteousness OF God - Romans 3
Righteousness OF God - Romans 3
Romans 3:21-25 21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.
Here, I understand this to mean how one IS righteous before and with God, and not that God is righteous. Now the WAY to be right (and thus righteous) with God has been MANIFESTED (revealed, made known).
Such is THROUGH FAITH in Jesus. Such is NOT just believing THAT something about Jesus is true (i.e., his virgin birth, his pre-existence, his resurrection, his glorification, etc.), but even more so it is a TRUSTING in the person of Jesus.
Such righteousness is available unto ALL who believe. ALL NEED such for ALL have sinned and thus are NOT right with God on their own, nor can they MAKE THEMSELVES right having already sinned. Here in one short paragraph (long sentence), Paul brings together many of the foundation principles of the gospel:
· Justified
· By Grace
· Redemption / redeemed
· A Gift
· Propitiation
· Blood of Jesus (His sacrificial death)
· FAITH (again, yet, still… THIS undergirds all right relationships with God)
Each of these deserve a lifetime of study and mediation, and then an eternity of praise, honor, and thanksgiving to God.
Paul continued in verse 25:
Romans 3:25-26 “This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Though such sacrificial death of Jesus, the law of ‘sin and death’ is fulfilled and yet we who are sinners are made ‘right’ with God through FORGIVENESS. Are you right with God – or have you spurned His gracious offer?
Hugh DeLong
