OCTOBER 10, 2025 – JUSTIFICATION

READ: Rom. 3:21-26: … But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed … through faith in Jesus Christ …

However much we may want to live according to the law, that does not acquit us before God’s righteous judgment on our sins. We still stand guilty, for no one can perfectly keep God’s law.

If God had to establish this, while nothing else existed, then there would be no future for anyone. Then we too would have no hope and would lack the glory of God (v.23).

But now, says verse 21, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed. At the dead-end road of works of the law, there is nevertheless a new way to meet God’s justice!

“But now” indicates the great turning point that the Gospel offers to sinful people. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, of which the Old Testament (the Law and the Prophets) already spoke. God gives this righteousness out of grace, freely, for nothing, through the redemption in Christ Jesus (v.24).

Verses 25 and 26 explain how this redemption came about.  God appointed Christ to give His blood as the means of reconciliation. Christ gave His blood to satisfy the justice of God, as punishment for sin. That blood stands for the soul, the life of man. He gave it for His own, for all who believe in Him. Their guilt is forgiven and the breach with God is restored.

Thus, they stand righteous before God again and do not miss His glory, but may live with Him in eternal life.

Christ did not only reconcile Old Testament believers, whose punishment God had postponed (v.25b). He also did this for all who in the time of the New Testament believe in Him as their Savior.

In all this God shows that He is righteous: satisfaction had to be made. At the same time He is merciful: He even sent His own Son to reconcile, out of grace, all who believe in Him.

Is our justification a one-time event?

Sing: Hymn 24:1,4 (1984) / 28:1,4 (2014)