Comprehensive Doctrine of Justification (7)
[Romans 3:21-26]
We have already reflected four times on the first subtopic, "The Necessity of Justification," under the overarching theme of "Comprehensive Doctrine of Justification." Currently, we are also meditating on the second subtopic, "The Originator of Justification," where the originator of justification is identified as God the Father!
In last week's Wednesday prayer meeting, focusing on Romans 10:3-5, we contemplated the three types of righteousness: (1) God's righteousness, (2) human righteousness (self-righteousness), and (3) legalistic righteousness. Righteousness is God's righteousness. Human righteousness (self-righteousness) cannot be righteousness. We cannot attain righteousness before God through our own efforts (good deeds, acts of kindness, etc.). In other words, people, recognizing the need for justification, strive to attain righteousness through their own efforts (good deeds, acts of kindness, etc.). However, before God, those efforts cannot lead to righteousness. The reason is that, like filthy rags, our righteousness is soiled (Isa. 64:6). If we look at Revelation 21:8, which speaks about those who will not enter the new heaven and new earth (v. 1), it mentions the "fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars." These individuals will be cast into the "lake which burns with fire and brimstone," representing the "second death" (v. 8). In Revelation 22:15, a similar group, the "liars" or those who "love and practice falsehood," are declared to be outside the holy city and in the lake of fire. The same theme is echoed in Romans 3:13-14, stating that "their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues, they have practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." In essence, all of humanity is characterized by falsehood. Thus, all those who engage in falsehood (Rev. 21:8; 22:15) cannot attain righteousness (justification) before God through their efforts or enter the kingdom of God!
The righteousness of the law can never become justification. In other words, by the righteousness of the law, one can never attain righteousness before God. Romans 10:5 states, "For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them." In Philippians 3:6, the Apostle Paul mentions that, before believing in Jesus, he was "blameless concerning the righteousness which is in the law." To that extent, Saul (the name of the Apostle Paul before believing in Jesus) was a zealous observer of the law. However, Saul could not enter heaven by the righteousness of the law. The reason is stated in James 2:10 – “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” When Paul claims to be blameless concerning the righteousness of the law, it means that he observed the law diligently, but it does not mean that he kept it perfectly. He violated the tenth commandment [(Exod. 20:17) "You shall not covet your neighbor's house..."]. He committed the sin of covetousness. Romans 7:7-8 says, "What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet.' But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law, sin lies dead." Human effort can never attain righteousness before God. Only God's righteousness is justification!
In today's passage, Romans 3:21-26, God is declared to be righteous. In other words, God is the subject and source of justification. God is the one who imparts justification. The term "now” is crucial (indicating a triple emphasis), but in the original Greek, it is "But now." This phrase is significant because, while "those who practice the law" have no fleshly justification before God (v. 20), "But now apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested" (v. 21). Here, the expression "apart from the law" means unrelated to the law, emphasizing that human efforts (works or deeds) of keeping the law have no correlation with our salvation. The phrase "the righteousness of God" refers to justification. And "has been manifested" (v. 21) implies that what was unclear has now become clear, similar to the manifestation of Jesus Christ on earth (incarnation). Look at 1 John 3:8 – “He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.” The manifestation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, being born (incarnated) and becoming human, was foretold in Genesis 3:15. This prophecy refers to the plan of God to deal with the works of the devil. The Son of God came to earth, and through His work, especially on the cross, He aimed to destroy the works of the devil. This fulfillment of the prophecy is a crucial aspect of the significance of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. 1 Timothy 3:16 says, "Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory." This refers to the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is 1 Peter 1:20 – “He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.” These words speak about the birth of Jesus Christ, who is the Holy Son of God.
All of this is what God has done. God has accomplished all these things according to the covenant of Genesis 3:15. Only God is the subject and source of righteousness, and He is the one who bestows righteousness. Moreover, only God's righteousness enables us to obtain salvation. Applying the lyrics of the hymn "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow” to praise God as the subject of righteousness, the adapted verse could be: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.”