21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
V. 21 - “the righteousness of God has been manifested” - God’s righteousness has been clearly shown (See: Rom. 1:17-21), and then testified to (“witnessed”) by the Old Testament scriptures. This is echoed in Heb. 2:3,4. God told us, and others saw what He has done and also told us.
V. 22 - “through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe” - His righteous nature is demonstrated again for our benefit in the advent, life, sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If no one can be justified by their actions or following the Law there is no hope to come to God. Working your way to God is more impossible than jumping across the Grand Canyon on a motor cycle.
In His righteousness, God does not require you to do the impossible. He has provided the way - Christ Jesus. Our only access to God is through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus. "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved... " (Acts 16:31) Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.“ (John 14:6 )
“for there is no distinction” - This the first part of a parenthetical statement, second part is in verse 23. When it comes to meeting God's standards there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles. "No distinction" equals you cannot tell them apart, both are lost.
V. 23 - “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” - The last half of the parenthesis. Paul spent the majority of the letter to this point on this subject. The world is depraved. The chosen people of God have fallen short. There is no excuse because we know what sin is. “There is none righteous, not even one.” (See: Rom 3:10)
V. 24 - “being justified as a gift by His grace” - This part of the sentence is tied to the first half of verse 22. All who believe will be justified. When I committed my life to Christ, a mnemonic I learned was “Justified = Just-As-If-I-had-Never-Sinned.” This does not mean I have never sinned. It means the penalty is paid - Jesus is my advocate and sacrifice. The penalty, death, has been paid; God considers that I have not sinned. It is a gift from God to me. The gift is given by His grace, not by obligation.
“through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” - In the Old Covenant, a person indentured to another could be purchased or redeemed by a relative (this is the concept of a ‘kinsman redeemer’) by making the payment of the debt. When the payment was made, the person was free from the debt. In the New Covenant the debt is our sin. That sin debt was described by as a certificate which was nailed to the cross. (See: Col. 2:14)
V. 25 - “whom God displayed publicly” - The sacrifice that satisfied God’s justice, in paying for our sin, was not done in secret. In truth, Jesus’ life and ministry was public. The trial, in the Sanhedrin, at Pilate’s palace, the torture, the execution and death were horribly public. A significant reason for the Roman method of execution was the humiliation of the criminal and his family. The crucified were often left for days after death as a grim reminder and lesson. Interestingly, even though Jesus was despised by the Jewish leaders, they were adamant that Jesus would be taken down and buried before that day was finished, so Jewish rules and customs would not be violated.
Jesus was executed on Friday, was taken down and buried before sundown (this made it possible for Him to be buried before the Sabbath day started). The high priest asked Pilate to guard the tomb so Jesus’ body wouldn’t be stolen. The Jewish leaders did not believe Jesus was the Messiah, nor that He would be resurrected, but they were taking no chances. If his body disappeared from the tomb by nefarious means His followers could falsely claim resurrection.
What irony! The very thing they guarded against - an empty tomb - happened anyway, and with credible witnesses. (Who in their right mind would accuse the Roman soldiers of lying? Think of the trouble the Roman guards were in, when the very thing they were assigned to guard against happened!)
“as a propitiation in His blood through faith” - The image here is the sprinkling of blood on the mercy-seat of the Ark of the Covenant by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. (See: Lev. 16:14-15, 30.)
His blood cleanses us from all our sins when we through faith believe in Jesus. His death paid for all sins, but is only efficacious for those who accept the gift. Compare these two verses from Isaiah: “All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him...” (Isa. 53:6) “As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.“ (Isa. 53:11b) The emphasis: all versus the many. All of human sin fell upon Jesus on that cross. "Many", but not all will be justified because they believe in Him.
“in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed” - God shows His patience. See: “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Tim. 1:16 ) God "passed over"; i.e., the sins were still there, but He does not see them.
God did not ignore sins committed. God withheld execution of His judgement on sin until after the crucifixion. In Hebrews, in the “Heroes of Faith Hall of Fame” we can see rewards delayed, so to speak: “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” (Heb. 11:13) And, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Heb. 11:39-40)
The faithful believed God would honor their faith. Note that they will be made perfect when we are made perfect. We are not perfect as yet, and must wait until Christ returns and all is completed. Likewise, judgement for sin is certain, but not yet completely executed. Sins committed before the advent of Christ, will be judged on the basis of belief and faith in God, for Jews and Gentiles. After Christ’s death and resurrection judgement is based on belief and faith in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.
V. 26 - “demonstration... of His righteousness at the present time” - I repeat, God shows us His righteousness through Christ. He shows us now. Not ‘now’ as in 17-Mar-2019, nor in the year 67 A.D. He has done it this one time, and it counts for all time - one sacrifice one time for all. It never will need to be repeated. He has done it for me, and it is effective now, the moment I believe and accept Him.
“He would be just and the justifier” - We want an honest legal system. We do not want a criminal to go free if they have committed the crime. We reject the idea of an innocent person being convicted because the jury is rigged. God commanded that judges rule fairly. (See: Lev. 19:15; Deut. 1:16-17) We also want that the Law is applied with no regard to class, race, wealth, or political affiliation - no respecter of persons. This same desire is even more true when applied to eternal matters.
God has also solved the other problem that faces us - we are incapable of meeting God’s righteousness with our own. We are as dirty rags when compared to His holiness. We are doomed. Payment must be made for sin. God therefore provided the payment. We do not need to do it; we cannot do it.
Justice must be served. God satisfied the penalty. He is the justifier. As noted above, Faith in Jesus Christ is the means. The lyric to a hymn says it well:
Living he Loved Me, Dying he saved me
Buried carried my My sins far away
Rising he justified me, Freed me forever
One day he's coming back. Glorious day.
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