How Can Righteousness Come to Us?
23All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a propitiation [sacrifice of atonement], through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:23-26 (NIV)
Romans 3:24-26 provides a clear and powerful answer, revealing the beautiful tapestry of God’s redemptive plan through Jesus Christ. This passage unveils four key aspects – propitiation, redemption, justification, and reconciliation – that “demonstrate God’s justice” on how righteousness comes to us through faith in Christ’s sacrifice.
1. Propitiation: Turning Away God’s Wrath – The verse explicitly states that we are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” Propitiation refers to the appeasement of God’s righteous anger against sin. Our sinfulness creates a barrier between us and God, and His justice demands a penalty. However, through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, God’s wrath is satisfied, and His anger is turned away from those who place their faith in Jesus.
2. Redemption: Freedom from Sin’s Slavery – The passage directly mentions that we are justified “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Redemption signifies the act of buying someone out of slavery. We were once enslaved to sin, powerless to escape its clutches. But Christ’s sacrifice on the cross becomes the ransom that liberates us from this bondage. His blood, symbolizing His life poured out for us, becomes the price that secures our freedom and opens the door to a new life in relationship with God.
3. Justification: Declared Righteous Before God – The central theme of Romans 3:24-26 is justification. The passage begins by stating, “and are justified by his grace as a gift.” Justification is a legal term that speaks to being declared righteous before the law. As guilty sinners, we stand condemned before God’s perfect standards. However, through Christ’s substitutionary death, we are declared righteous in God’s eyes. This is not based on our own efforts or merit, but solely on Christ’s perfect obedience and His sacrifice in our place. He takes our guilt and punishment, and we receive the righteousness He earned, allowing us to stand before God justified and blameless.
4. Reconciliation: Restoring Our Relationship with God – While not explicitly stated, the concept of reconciliation is implied throughout Romans 3:24-26. The entire passage speaks of how God bridges the gap between Himself and humanity through Christ’s sacrifice. Propitiation removes the barrier of God’s wrath, redemption frees us from the bondage of sin, and justification brings us into a right legal standing before God. These actions culminate in the restoration of our relationship with God – reconciliation – where we are no longer separated from Him but adopted into His family as beloved children.
Romans 3:24-26 presents a stunning portrait of God’s love and justice intertwined in the gospel. Through Christ’s sacrificial death, God demonstrates His righteousness by justly dealing with sin while also extending grace and mercy to undeserving sinners. As we place our faith in Jesus, we experience the transformative power of propitiation, redemption, justification, and reconciliation, enabling us to live in a restored relationship with our Heavenly Father.
How have these four aspects shaped your understanding of God’s love and grace, and how have they impacted your daily life, your relationships, and your sense of purpose and identity in Christ?
[The ideas for this week’s materials on Romans 3:21-31 were drawn from James Montgomery Boice’s Commentary on Romans and John Stott’s ‘The Cross of Christ’]
I think the documentary “American Gospel: Christ Crucified” on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1lbrlP-kOc explores more in-depth all the objections to the needs for propitiation and expiation at the cross.
The four aspects of God’s redemptive plan through Christ have shaped my understanding of God’s love and grace in very gradual yet significant and impactful ways. For example, the impact of Christ’s appeasement of God’s wrath through His death on the cross, (propitiation,) bears greater significance as I become more aware of my own depravity and the wrath that I deserve. Freedom from the bondage of sin (redemption) becomes more impactful as I recognize the level of control that sin has had over me. Being declared righteous before God (justification) becomes absolutely mind-boggling as I grow in my understanding of what that means, and the implications it holds. Restored relationship with God (reconciliation) becomes ever more precious as I experience more and more of Him. Over time, (and I must admit, in most cases, much time,) all of these have had a transformative effect on my daily life, relationships, and my sense of purpose and identity in Christ. They have instilled in me gratitude and new affections that motivate me to live for the One that loves me more than I can ever know, the One that died for me so that I could live for Him!
The first 3 aspects are incredible and are crucial in allowing us to be able to come to God again. To allow him to welcome us back into His family. I still come in shame. I don’t think I will ever be confident enough to not come on bent knees and begging still for forgiveness even knowing Christ had made it possible. I still feel shame knowing that I can never ever be worthy. So now that I have been given the gift of being welcome to His presence, I can’t imagine ever giving that up. It took so much for me to get to this point where I feel maybe I can be near Him and believe that He does love me and not see me as I sometime see myself. I feel hope that His love is so tremendous that He could stand the sight of me near Him. I never want to lose that now. That is one thing I want desperately to hold on to but even if I realize how precious it is my own nature will cause me to still want to pull away – I can’t help it if I’m left on my own – so even to cling to the Lord, I need His constant help to mold me and to anchor me to Him.