Romans 3:21-31 - Outline and Summary

 

Sinners are justified (i.e., declared righteous by God) through a righteousness which comes from God and which is given to all (Jews and Gentiles alike) who believe in Jesus Christ. They are justified by God’s grace (unmerited favor) through the redeeming work of Christ, whom God gave as a sacrifice of atonement (on the cross) to satisfy the just demands of His broken Law (Romans 3:21-31)

 

•        The Old Testament Scriptures (the Law and the Prophets) testify to the fact that there is a righteousness which comes from God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. (Romans 3:21-22a)

 

•        There is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:22b-23)

 

•        Hence Jews and Gentiles are justified freely by God’s grace (i.e., His unmerited or undeserved favor) through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24)

 

•        God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement (when He shed his blood on the cross); the benefit which is received by faith (Romans 3:25a)

 

•        The atoning death of Christ vindicates God’s righteousness both in passing over the sins:

–       In the pre-Christian ages and also

–       In the present age

•        As God justifies the man who has faith in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:25b-26)

 

•        Note: God’s justice demands that all sins be punished and they will be punished, either:

–       In the person of the unbelieving sinner in hell, or

–       In the person of Jesus Christ, the believing sinners’ substitute, who bore their sins in His own body on the cross.

•         1 Peter 2:24 - He [Christ] Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree [the cross], so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

•         2 Corinthians 5:21 - God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

•        Because sinners are justified by faith, not by their keeping the law, all boasting is excluded (Romans 3:27-28)

–       Romans 3:27-28 - Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

–       Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.

 

•        Justification by faith makes God the God of all who believe (Jews and Gentiles alike). (Romans 3:29-30)

 

•        We who trust in Christ for justification (i.e., to make us make us righteous before God) do not nullify (i.e., do away with, abolish) the Law. Rather we uphold (the demands of) the Law (through the righteousness of Jesus Christ who fulfilled the Law on our behalf). (Romans 3:31)