Justification by Faith

In Romans 3:21-4:25, the Apostle Paul is making the argument that the righteous are justified by faith. He sets this up with an unasked question in verse 21: “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it.” (ESV) The unasked question is: How has this been manifested? The answer comes in verse 22: “The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” (ESV) The "'righteousness of God' is not the passive or abstract goodness of God in contrast to the sinfulness of persons; the righteousness of God is the "creative goodness of the living God in action."1 God's Righteousness is thus God in action in behalf of persons.”2 What law is this? Paul explains in 3:27: “By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.” (ESV) This law of faith “is the only power that can conquer the law of sin and death. Faith in Jesus Christ, who shows us God's righteousness, allows the life-giving law of God to be received as the gift God intends.”3 The difference between the religious elite in Jesus' day and God's intended purpose for the fulfillment of the law is that in “Christ, God's law is not a possession, a religious relic, to be boasted about. It is the life-giving stream of God's righteousness, the waters available to Jew and Gentile alike. Thus, the law is not overthrown, but in Christ reveals itself with life-giving force.”4 God has revealed “his righteousness in Christ 'apart from' the law of Moses. Like the 'old wineskins' of Jesus' parable, the Mosaic covenant simply cannot contain the 'new wine' of the gospel.”5 This begins Paul's case of those who are justified by faith, starting with Abraham in Romans 4, and how he was justified, not by his works, but by his faith. Paul clarifies this in 4:2: “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.” (ESV) This would on the surface pit Paul against James, who wrote in James 2:21: “Was not Abraham our father justified by his works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?” (ESV) It is important to recognize that “faith is something completely different than works”6, and that our righteousness does not extend from our works, but from faith. Our works spring out from our faith, pointing others to the author of that faith, which is God.









BIBLIOGRAPHY

Haddix, James Lewis, "Romans 3:21-31." Interpretation 58, no. 3, 2004.




Songer, Harold S., "New standing before God : Romans 3:21-5:21." Review & Expositor 73, no. 4, 1976.




Moo, Douglas J. Romans, “The NIV Application Commentary” Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000.


1 Harold S. Songer, "New standing before God : Romans 3:21-5:21." Review & Expositor 73, no. 4 (1976) 416.


2 Ibid., 416.


3 James Lewis Haddix, "Romans 3:21-31." Interpretation 58, no. 3 (2004) 278.


4 Ibid.,278.


5 Douglas J. Moo, Romans, “The NIV Application Commentary” Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House (2000) 126.




6 Ibid., 144.