Paul's Epistle to the Romans — page 10

Ch. 3:22-23 – Paul now speaks of the means by which we come into the good that God's righteousness has secured. It is “by faith in Jesus Christ” (W. Kelly Translation). Simply put, what God's righteousness has secured for man (that is, the salvation of our souls) is appropriated by a person who has faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the simple means by which people are saved. Paul insisted on this everywhere he went preaching the gospel. To be saved, men need “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21, 16:31).

God's desire for all men is that they be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). Therefore, what was secured at the cross by God's righteousness is “for all and upon all those who believe”. (Most modern translations omit the phrase “and upon all”, but Mr. Kelly explained in detail that the phrase should be in the text, as the KJV and the J. N. Darby Translation indicate. (See Bible Treasure, vol. 6, pp. 376, vol. 13, p. 350, vol. 16, 277-278, vol. N3, pp. 264-265, vol. N6, p. 264, Notes on the Epistle to the Romans, pp. 43-44.) This good news is “for all” because all men need God's salvation, but it is only “upon all” those who believe.

No Difference

Paul adds: “For there is no difference. For all have sinned and come short [are falling short – KJV] of the glory of God”. When it comes to man's universal need, “there is no difference” – all men need to be saved. People object to this statement because they see an objective difference between men with regard to the wrongs they have committed; some have clearly lived more sinfully than others. Those who have sinned less do not like to be classed with those who have sinned more, because they feel they are better. They will say: “I am not as bad as that murderer, etc.” However, that is not what Paul is teaching here. He fully admits that there is a difference between sinners and has established that fact in chapters 1:18-3:20. The “no difference” that Paul is speaking of in this verse is with regard to men who fall short of the glory of God and of God's standards of holiness. Without exception, all fall short. “There is no difference” – all are lost and all are heading into eternity in hell, where they will pay the penalty for the sins they have committed – if they do not accept Christ as their Savior.

Mr. Albert Hayhoe used to illustrate this by asking us to imagine a swimming competition taking place on the west side of Vancouver Island. Across the Pacific Ocean was the goal – Japan. At the water's edge we hear men talking. One man says: “I can swim 20 kilometers!” Another man says: “I can swim 10 kilometers!” A third man says: “I can swim one kilometer.” A fourth says he cannot swim at all. If they all jumped into the water and headed for Japan, “there would be no difference” between the competitors; all would fail and fall short of the destination. Likewise, even though some men are worse sinners than others, there is no difference between them, for all have fallen short of the glory of God.

Justified and Redeemed in Christ Jesus

Ch. 3:24 – Since God's great desire is that men be saved from the judgment of their sins (1 Tim. 2:4), Paul continues speaking of the great deliverance that God grants to those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. He says that they are “justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”. This statement involves the believer's new position and condition; we are justified and redeemed in Christ Jesus.

Justification

“Justified” means that the believer has been cleared of every charge of sin that was against him by being brought into a new position before God, by which he is no longer viewed by God as a sinner. It is an act of God by which an ungodly sinner is accounted righteous in the mind of God. Thus, the person's legal position in heaven is changed, and he is “made” righteous before God (ch. 5:19).

Two Parts to Justification

There are two parts to justification: a negative side and a positive side.

• The negative side has to do with being cleared “from all things” – that is, from the charges of sin against us (Acts 13:39).

• The positive side has to do with the believer being in an entirely new position before God in Christ, where no other charge can be brought against him (Gal. 2:17 – “justified in Christ”). H. E. Hayhoe observed: “Justification in Christianity always brings the believer into a new position before God. The believer is justified as being ‘in Christ’ before God” (Present Truth for Christians, p. 22). The believer is not only in a new position before God, he is there with an entirely new life and is in an entirely new condition that is sinless. This is called “justification of life” (Rom. 5:18).

To justify sinners is something only God can do. The Law can justify the righteous (1 Kings 8:32), but since there is none righteous, the Law has never justified anyone. But the gospel declares that God, in perfect righteousness, can justify the ungodly who believe in Jesus (ch. 4:5).

Some will say that justified means “as if I had never sinned.” But this definition is far from the truth of justification. To place men in a position where they had never sinned would be to put them back on the ground of innocence, like that on which Adam stood in the Garden of Eden. Adam fell on that ground, and we could fall too, if we were placed there! Justification places us in a much higher place than that of innocence. That is why we are in a new position before God “in Christ” (Gal. 2:17) with an entirely new life that is without sin, nor can it sin. We cannot fall from this place!

Eight Expressions That Denote the Different Aspects of Justification

1. Justified by grace – the source (Rom. 3:24).

2. Justified by faith – the means of appropriation (Rom. 3:28).

3. Justified by blood – the price (Rom. 5:9).

4. Justification of life – a new condition (Rom. 5:18).

5. Justified from sin – an exoneration from the old master (Rom. 6:7).

6. Justified by God – the One who settles the account (Rom. 8:33).

7. Justified in Christ – the new position of acceptance (Gal. 2:17).

8. Justified by works – the evidence manifested in the believer's life as he is considered righteous before God (James 2:21, 24).

Redemption

Paul said that we are justified “by the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (v. 24). Thus, the believer is also redeemed. Redemption means to be “bought and set free.” The believer is set free from sin, from judgment, from Satan's captivity, and from the world. The purpose of redemption is to set the believer free so that he can do the will of God – in worship and service. This is illustrated in the Scriptures in the Lord's words to Pharaoh through Moses: “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me” (Ex. 8:1). As a general rule, redemption is always “from” or “out of” something adverse that held people in captivity, because the emphasis in redemption is on being “set free” (Ex. 15:13; Ps. 25:22, 49:15, 130:8; Jer. 15:21; Mic. 4:10; Rom. 8:23; Gal. 3:13; Titus 2:14). (In the KJV, Revelation 5:9 says: “has redeemed us to God...”, but redeemed is not the right word there, it should be translated, “has purchased us for God...”).

Four Aspects of Redemption

The Bible speaks of redemption in relation to Christians in at least four different ways. They are:

• The redemption of our souls. This occurs when we receive Christ as our Savior (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Titus 2:13-14; Heb. 9:12; 1 Pet. 1:18).

• The redemption of our time. This must continue throughout our whole life as a matter of Christian exercise (Eph. 5:15-16; Col. 4:5).

• The redemption of our bodies. This will occur at the Rapture when we will be glorified (Rom. 8:23; Eph. 4:30; 1 Cor. 15:51-57).

• The redemption of our inheritance. This will occur at the Appearing of Christ through His judgments being poured out on the earth (Eph. 1:14).

“In Christ Jesus”

Finally, the justification and redemption of the believer are said to be “in Christ Jesus” (v. 24). As mentioned in the introduction (chap. 1:1-17), when Paul uses the term “Christ Jesus” – the title of the Lord (Christ) before His name of humanity (Jesus) – he refers to Him as risen, exalted, and seated at the right hand of God as a glorified Man. Therefore, these great blessings announced in the gospel are assured for us in “the Man Christ Jesus” (JND) at the right hand of God (1 Tim. 2:5). Indeed, all our distinct Christian blessings are said to be “in Christ”. Notice the Scripture quotations in J. N. Darby's Translation in the following list of blessings.

Redemption in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:24).

• Forgiveness of sins in Christ – a purified conscience (Rom. 4:7; Eph. 4:32; Heb. 9:14).

• Justification in Christ Jesus (Rom. 4:25-5:1; Gal. 2:16-17).

• The gift of the Spirit in Christ – anointed, sealed, and given the earnest of the Spirit (Rom. 5:5; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 1:13).

• Reconciliation in Christ Jesus – “brought near” (Rom. 5:10 – ARA; Eph. 2:13; Col. 1:21).

• Sanctification in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:19; 1 Cor. 1:2).

• Eternal Life in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:23; 2 Tim. 1:1).

• Deliverance (salvation) in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1-2).

• Sonship in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:14-15; Gal. 3:26, 4:5-7).

• Heir of the inheritance in Christ (Rom. 8:17; Eph. 1:10-11; Gal. 3:29).

• Members of the new creation race in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:29; Gal. 6:15; 2 Cor. 5:17).

• Members of the “one body” in Christ (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12-13).

The believer's position of being “in Christ” is not considered until the next section of the epistle (chap. 6:11, 8:1), although it is introduced here in chapter 3:24.

Paul adds that these things are given to the believer “freely by His grace” (v. 24). Grace is God's unmerited favor. Therefore, there is nothing the believer has to do to receive these blessings. They are a free gift of God and are ours the moment we believe the gospel and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.

The Righteousness of God in Connection with

Sins Committed Before and After the Cross