What Righteousness Means

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Romans 3:21-31

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 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. 26 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.

27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

 
 

Paul states that the righteousness of God has now been revealed in a surprising way—not through the Law, although the Law and the Prophets (i.e., the entire Old Testament) foretold it would happen. No, what is amazing is that God is doing something new by saving people through faith!

A key idea in Romans is summed up by the word “righteousness.” The term has several overlapping meanings; here is a good way to understand righteousness:

Righteousness – the “rightness” of God, rooted in God’s identity, also God’s “making right” the wrong things of the world, also the characteristic of someone whom God has “made right” and is conforming to God’s standard.

Paul here says that all it takes to be made right by God is to trust—“have faith in”—in Jesus. Gentile or Jew—it doesn’t matter: each needs to be saved from sin and each can be. God’s righteousness is such that He doesn’t hold people’s sins against them but forgives them because of the sacrificial death of Jesus.

Paul says that none of us who is saved should boast about it because we did nothing to deserve or earn it—we only just trusted in Jesus. And again, this salvation is for both Jews and Greeks. And because Jews are saved through faith, this doesn’t mean the Law was useless; on the contrary, the Law shows that people need to be saved, because they are unable to keep it.

 

"Their Throat Is An Open Grave"

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Romans 3:9-20

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

 
 

Paul, speaking to his imaginary Jewish interlocutor, makes his point again:

Just being Jewish doesn’t count for anything, because both Jews and Gentiles are sinful and need to be saved.

Then, Paul quotes from the Old Testament—mainly the Psalms—to emphasize the point he made above—people are sinful—and to show that this idea isn’t original with him but is in fact what the Bible has already been teaching.

Again, just because the Jews have the Law doesn’t mean that they are better than other people. In fact, the Law proves just how sinful they are by showing clearly that they are not abiding by it nor keeping its terms:

19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. [3:19-20]

Paul is continuing to make his case about how sinful all of humanity it, so he can show just how amazing is the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

Keep reading!

 

What's The Point Of Being A Jew?

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Romans 3:1-8

3 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” 5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

 
 

“Okay, smart guy,” replies Paul’s imaginary Jewish interlocutor, “if Jews stand condemned in sin just as much as Gentiles, then what’s the point of being a Jew? Why did God choose Israel as His people?”

Well, says Paul, for one thing, the Jews were given God’s Word (“the oracles of God”). And even if some Israelites were unfaithful, that doesn’t change the character of God. In fact, God is so good and committed to His promises, that the more His people sinned, the more God remained faithful. Their unrighteousness showed just how righteous God is.

“Okay,” says Paul’s interlocutor, “but if my sin shows God’s goodness, then couldn’t you say that God owes me for making Him look good? Couldn’t you say that it is actually good for Israel to sin, then, so that God can show his grace and righteousness? Shouldn’t we just sin more so God looks better? Why are we getting in trouble for making God look good?”

5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) [3:5]

Paul says that anyone who thinks that way should be criticized, because that way of thinking is really twisted. After all, if God rewarded sin, then God would never right any wrongs or make any judgments. And that kind of God is no kind of God at all. Paul says that if he actually taught that people should sin more and thereby make God look better, then he would be right to be criticized:

7 But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. [3:7-8]

So far in his letter, Paul has explained how idolatry—worshipping the creation rather than the Creator—has led the Gentiles deep into sin. They are, in fact, in so deep that they will need to be rescued. He then goes on to explain how the Jews—who should have known better—also were idolatrous and disobedient. Paul’s main point in Romans chapters 2-3 is that the Jews are no better off than the Gentiles but are also totally sinful and in need of God’s grace.

We’re no different.