God’s Way of Accepting People
April 21, 2020
Commentary
1. Understanding God’s Integrity (vv. 21-22a). The phrase “but now” marks a major transition in Romans, as Paul begins to speak of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross as the turning point of human history. The death of Jesus opened a new chapter in outworking of God’s plan for humanity. But to understand God’s integrity, we must understand who Jesus really is. This means understanding how Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection all fit together. Apart from understanding that we won’t be able to understand God’s integrity.
2. Experiencing God’s Integrity (vv. 22b-26). Because of what Paul’s already said in Romans 1 and 2, we can see that there’s no distinction between religious people and non-religious people in terms of how they stand with God. Everyone has sinned. Both Jews and non-Jews, religious and irreligious, Greeks and Romans, Americans, and Palestinians, all stand guilty before God. We can only experience God’s integrity when we EXPERIENCE THE BENEFITS OF CHRIST’S DEATH. We must never underestimate the effects of our sin and acknowledge that we are indeed deserving of eternal death. However, we are never too bad to be saved. The Lord Jesus has paid the price for our sin and there is nothing left to do, except trust Him.
3. Living Consistently with God’s Integrity (vv. 27-31). Our tendency is to think we can live consistently with God’s character by trying really hard to be good, moral people. That’s how a lot of the religious Jews back then were. They thought that by keeping the 10 commandments and all the other laws they would live consistently with God’s integrity.
Application
We are living in an exciting time of history, especially if we have completely trusted Christ and His work on the cross for our personal salvation! We have all sinned and come short of God’s glory (v. 23). I will fall short if I try to make heaven by my own works. I must trust completely in Jesus to be justified before God (vv. 24-26).
Romans 3:21– 31 (NET)
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (although it is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed— 22 namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24 But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed. 26 This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded! By what principle? Of works? No, but by the principle of faith! 28 For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles too? Yes, of the Gentiles too! 30 Since God is one, he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead we uphold the law.