21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can all be saved in this same way, no matter who we are, or what we have done.
23 For all have sinned; all have fallen short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
29 After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.
I don’t know if Paul ever had the opportunity to read this letter to an audience, but if he did, I can only imagine how he would have presented it. He would have presented chapters 1 & 2 in a rollercoaster of emotion – from soft, loving and gentle, to stern, confident and convicting, and back again. As he finished verse 20, the people in the audience would have really been squirming. I know I would be. But then, between verse 20 & 21, Paul would stop and stare out at his audience. He would give them a little time for the hopelessness to really sink in. Time to let the conviction overwhelm them. No matter who we are, or how hard we try, we can never be good enough. The entire place would be silent.
As he stood there, he would slowly begin to smile. Paul loved this part. This is what he lived for, and would ultimately die for. With true compassion for the people, Paul would lay out the Good News of Jesus Christ. Yes, God had a plan from the beginning, and this plan was carefully revealed in the writings of the prophets. And what is the Good News? Paul sums it up in one verse – Romans 3:22
“We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can all be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.” (Romans 3:22 NLT)
Paul went on to explain in verses 23 & 24 that all have sinned - that every single human being ever born has sinned. And no matter what the sin is, it is enough to separate us from God. But God, in His gracious kindness declares us not guilty because Christ has freed us by taking away our sins.
Paul explains in verse 25 that God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins – to pay the debt that we couldn’t pay, and to make a way for us to be with God. But, what do we need to do to earn this? There’s nothing we can do. God’s grace is not a reward, it is a gift.
Paul asks if we can boast that we did anything to be accepted by God… His answer, NO. Our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith in Jesus Christ. God’s grace is completely, undeserved favor.
Let’s say that you let someone borrow your car and they get into an accident. If you offer them justice by the law, they would owe you for any damages incurred. If you offer them mercy, you would acknowledge that it was their fault, but you would forgive them of any damages. But, if you offer them grace, you would erase the entire situation, as if it never happened, and buy them their own car so that they don’t have to borrow yours anymore. You would give them something that they absolutely did not deserve. That’s how God’s grace works.
Paul drives home the point that it is all about faith. Five times between verses 27 & 31 he points back to faith. Are we justified by our good deeds? No, by faith. By obeying the law? No, by faith. By being Jewish? No, by faith. Then Paul turns it around and asks a rhetorical question; If it’s all about faith, can we forget the law? No. In fact, it is only through faith that we can truly fulfill the law. The first century, Greco-Roman, highly educated, free thinking, Jewish and non-Jewish Christians, must have been blown away by Paul’s explanation of how God’s grace is working in their lives. It should have the same effect on us. Are you blown away?
This is the Good News of Jesus Christ. This is the foundation of our Christian belief. We have all sinned and are separated from God because of it. But, “We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can all be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.”
We don’t deserve it. But, it is ours if we want it.
Study Questions
Is there something in your past that makes you feel unworthy?
Christ paid the price for every sin that ever was and that ever will be. There is nothing so secret that He doesn’t already know about. Take a moment right now, and ask Him to forgive you of the sin that has been weighing you down, and experience the freedom of knowing that you are a child of God.
Is your faith in Christ, or in Christ plus something else?
Paul asked the question; Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? His answer; No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith. Are you relying on your spiritual pedigree to impress God? Or perhaps, the work that you do for His kingdom? We need to trust 100% in Christ, and nothing else.
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