How does Romans 3:21 reveal God's righteousness apart from the law? Setting the Scene Romans 1:18–3:20 piles up proof that every human being, Jew and Gentile alike, stands guilty before God; no one can earn acceptance by law-keeping. Verse 21 bursts in as the turning point: “But now, apart from the Law, the righteousness of God has been revealed…” The Dramatic “But Now” • “But now” signals God’s decisive intervention in history. • A new era dawns—promised long before, realized in Christ (Galatians 4:4). • The hopelessness of verses 19-20 meets the hope of divine righteousness freely offered. What “Apart from the Law” Means • Not against the Law, but independent of human law-keeping. • God’s righteousness is granted without the sinner first achieving Torah obedience (Galatians 2:16). • Works cannot add or subtract from this righteousness (Ephesians 2:8-9). How the Law and the Prophets Point to It • Genesis 15:6—Abram “believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” • Isaiah 53—Messiah bears our iniquities so many “will be accounted righteous.” • Habakkuk 2:4—“The righteous will live by faith,” later quoted in Romans 1:17. • These passages prove that grace-through-faith is not Plan B; it is the Law and Prophets’ true heartbeat. Righteousness as Gift, not Wage • “Has been revealed” (Greek perfect tense) = unveiled once for all, still available. • It is God’s own righteousness, counted to the believer (Philippians 3:9). • No partial righteousness; believers receive full legal standing (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ at the Center of the Revelation Romans 3:22 continues: “And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” • Christ satisfied every demand of the Law (Matthew 5:17). • His atoning blood (Romans 3:25) demonstrates God’s justice and mercy simultaneously. • Thus God remains “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (v. 26). Faith, the Open Hand • Faith does not create righteousness; it receives it. • The gospel levels the field: “There is no distinction” (v. 22). • Boasting is excluded (v. 27) because all credit goes to God. Implications for Daily Life • Freedom: no bondage to score-keeping religion (Romans 8:1-2). • Assurance: righteousness is anchored in God’s completed work, not fragile performance. • Unity: believers from every background stand equal in grace (Ephesians 2:13-16). • Motivation: obedience flows from gratitude, not fear (Titus 2:11-12). “But now, apart from the Law, the righteousness of God has been revealed” (Romans 3:21). This single sentence announces heaven’s answer to earth’s deepest need: a perfect righteousness, fully in line with God’s holiness, freely granted to all who cling to Christ. |
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