Romans Chapter Three Lesson 38

Review:

Back to Rom 3:

- Here in 3:21 Paul is saying that this righteousness of God is absolute and unequivocally apart from law, the door is slammed shut!

- "law" no,moj no article with it; just as in vs:20 therefore the emphasis is not on the moral and ethical code, the statutes of the M/L specifically but on any law code as a principle of life; which would include the M/L.

God does not deal with man on the basis of a law principle!

What He does do is deal with us on the principle of giving us His righteousness on the basis of something that has nothing to do with our own righteousness, the principle is called GRACE!!

- Grace says Christ met all the conditions for you!!

Its free, its a gift! That is to you, but at great expense to Christ!

"But now absolutely apart from law (the) righteousness of God has been manifested,"

- When we consider the phrase "the righteousness of God" we need to remember that it has 3 general meanings:

#1. It may refer to the righteousness that God is! Psa. 89:14; 111:3

#2. It may refer to the righteousness that God requires! Psa. 45:7; Psa. 11:7

#3. It may refer to the righteousness that God provides! Rom. 3:22

- The principle that God operates on is that all that He can accept is perfect righteousness.

- Its really very simple: Give to man the perfect righteousness that His perfect character demands.

- Because His righteousness can not be satisfied by any "goodness" that man produces; it is inevitable that some will hold out the hope that God will take into account at least some of their works.

"But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested,"

"manifested" [perf.] past completed action with abiding results now;

fanero,w = to become visible/clear/manifest/known

The question is when? and where? did this manifestation take place?

- Look back to 1:17 for a similar phrase;

- In our verse, 3:21, Paul is not referring to the gospel, the point Paul is making here is that if you take a look back to the cross you will see the supreme demonstration of the righteousness of God.

"being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets."

- this is a summary expression to refer to the Old Testament.

- this righteousness of God; and the justification by faith was taught in the OT, not new; not a different or new way of Salvation;

Examples: Jer. 23:6c; Isa. 53:11; many times [48x's] in the Psalms "thy Righteousness" 5x's in Psa 71 alone;

Psa. 119:123 speaks of the "And for Thy righteous word."

2) It is by faith! 3:22 The righteousness of God its appropriation!

"even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe;"

- have a case here where NASB has the meaning while the KJV is more literal.

If we take it as objective genitive as I think we should, it says that the faith is in Jesus Christ. It is faith that has Jesus Christ as its object.

- Notice that it does not say faith in God!

- The Bible is specific it is faith in Jesus Christ, this directs us to the person and work of Jesus - the cross.

In context I would take the reference to Jesus Christ to refer to all that He is personally and all that He is officially.

* One of the important points this passage is going to make is to answer why He and He alone is the object of Saving faith!!