Romans 3:1-5 focuses on God’s covenant of circumcision with the Jewish people, yet it also reveals faith in Jesus Christ, who completed the redemptive work God gave Him to do, for God’s full punishment for sin was placed on Christ Jesus, God in the flesh, even though some teach evil, claiming Jesus’ crucifixion demonstrates God’s cruelty, not understanding this was the only way for God to forgive sins, and reconcile sinning people to Him, through Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, so God and people could become one in Christ, cleansed of sin and at peace with God.
All the wicked, satanic inspired, evil hatred, in the world does not exalt God’s grace and mercy, for God and His word are forever settled, and God cannot change; thus, His forgiving love, grace, mercy, justice, and the consequences of sin, never change, for God’s judgment on sin was placed on Jesus Christ; therefore, to refuse Christ’s Lordship over us, invites wrath.
Romans 3:9-20 shows all creation under the curse of sin, for all have sinned and rejected Jesus Christ, and every thought, word, and action, disobeyed God’s law as Creator and Owner of the universe, including His perfect will of caring love to bless and provide for people, yet people only viewed God’s law as harsh, hard, and against their freedom; thus, God dying for lost people, so “the righteousness (fully right with God) of God could be demonstrated in Jesus Christ’s blood He shed for our sins”.
This is so clearly explained in Romans 3:21-26, it must be read and carefully studied.
Romans 3:21-26—21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation (atonement, covering) by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance (tolerance) God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:27-31 focuses on verse 26, “to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus”, for “faith in Jesus”, what He did for us by His stripes and sacrificial death, and what He became for us, as Christ, does away with our boastful pride, claiming we did certain things to become a Christian, for it is all “by faith in Jesus, the resurrected Christ”, and nothing of the law, except to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:23-25), and nothing of self, except the faith to believe God and His word, which is from Christ Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).
Our faith, salvation, Holy Spirit baptism, claiming all God’s promises that are resident in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20-21; 2 Peter 1:2-4), and being obedient to God and His word, are through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, and nothing of our own doing, for Christianity is a God-thing and not a people-thing; Christ begins, guides, and ends the faith He works for, in, and through us, so sinners can never use faith against Him (John 12:37-41), and control Him.
Jim Nabors
