Devotions

The Righteousness of God Through Faith in Jesus Christ

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Most people have an idea, a concept of what it means to be good. From the beginning though, God has revealed himself first in the things he has made, and then the Jews were “entrusted with the oracles of God”. Here, Paul says, in Romans 3:21–22a (LEB) But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified about by the law and the prophets—22 that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. The way this is said to the Hebrews is Hebrews 1:1–2 Although God spoke long ago in many parts and in many ways to the fathers by the prophets, 2 in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the world. And as Matthew 17:5 says, “Listen to Him”. 

Entrusted With the Oracles of God

Romans 3:1–8
Did you ever wonder what it was to be a Jew? Of all the people on the earth, they were chosen and were in Romans 3:2 “entrusted with the oracles of God”. But we, as human beings understand that not everyone entrusted fulfills their trust. Sometimes we find that even a mother is not able to fulfill that closest bond of raising their own child. Sometimes a husband is not faithful to the wife of his youth. Sometimes we fail to fulfill even our own dreams and desires.

Paul though is blunt about his statement, he isn’t just talking about falling short because of the trials of life, he is talking about those that in Romans 3:3 “refused to believe” and because of their refusal, the message has been limited, the power of God questioned. But this is not a failure on God’s part as Paul goes on in this verse by asking the rhetorical question, “Their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? and the answer in

Romans 3:4 (LEB) May it never be! But let God be true but every human being a liar, just as it is written, “In order that you may be justified in your words, and may prevail when you are judged.”

 

The Fear of God is not Before Their Eyes

Romans 3:9–20
Understand that Paul is writing to the the Church in Rome, the ruling power of the day. So Paul is anticipating human nature and by his statements, they may be saying to themselves, “if the Jews have fallen short”. Paul knows how easy it is to judge others and set ourselves up as being better than they are and he now responds with, in Romans 3:9 “What then? Do we have an advantage?”. Again he uses the rhetorical question and the answer is “Not at all” because the Gentiles and even those the Romans would call the barbarians have not sought God.

Romans 3:10–12 (LEB) just as it is written, “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned aside together; they have become worthless; There is no one who practices kindness; there is not even one.

But this is all said so that Paul can come to the point of the message in

Romans 3:18 (LEB) The fear of God is not before their eyes.

Paul has already told them in

Romans 1:19–21 (LEB) because what can be known about God is evident among them, for God made it clear to them. 20 For from the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, both his eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created, so that they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning, and their senseless hearts were darkened.

 

The Righteousness of God Through Faith in Jesus Christ

Romans 3:21–31
Many of these that Paul is writing to would have been converted Jews who had this heritage of the Jewish law but Paul is pointing them to something beyond the Jewish Law, apart from it in

Romans 3:21 (LEB) But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified about by the law and the prophets—

But before we go on, Paul was also writing to Romans who had a different heritage, one of the Roman natural human law. This was a heritage of conquest and power taken by force with swift punishment and “in the wake of the civil war, Caesar famously offered full pardon – Clemency – to anyone who had fought against him”.M1

So everyone would understand Paul’s meaning when he says in

Romans 3:23 (LEB) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

And everyone would understand Romans 3:24 “being justified as a gift by his grace” not something that anyone has done to deserve it but

Romans 3:26 (LEB) in the forbearance of God, for the demonstration of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just and the one who justifies the person by faith in Jesus.

Abraham Believed God, and it Was Credited to Him for Righteousness

Romans 4:1–12

It Is by Faith, in Order That It May be According to Grace

Romans 4:13–25

Romans 4:16 (LEB) Because of this, it is by faith, in order that it may be according to grace, so that the promise may be secure to all the descendants, not only to those of the law, but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

Romans 4:20–22 (LEB) And he did not waver in unbelief at the promise of God, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God 21 and being fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also able to do. 22 Therefore it was credited to him for righteousness.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Romans 3:1-31
  • Romans 42:1-25

References

  • 1. https://ancientarmitage.wordpress.com/tag/julius-caesar/