Romans 3:20–23: “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

April 28th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Paul argues that it is impossible to perfectly do what God’s moral law requires because man is incapable of keeping the law, “for all have sinned.” Each one of us has at some point made the conscious decision to break the law of God in some way. Paul says, the law’s purpose is to make sin known (which it does very well), not to fix sin. The law is the light that reveals how dirty the room is, but it is not the broom that can sweep it clean. And since it cannot help a person be righteous, then man cannot be justified by his own merit, and so God provided a way for justification that is “apart from the law.”

Paul is saying that this “righteousness of God apart from the law” has been revealed, and it is Jesus Christ, God’s method of bringing people into right relationship with Himself. And it has always been God’s plan since the Law and the Prophets in the Old Testament even witnessed (proclaimed) it before Jesus appeared. The essence of God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ is seen in the phrase, “apart from the law.” It is salvation offered apart from our own earning, deserving, or merit.

In one sense God’s righteousness becomes a person’s possession, as Paul says that this righteousness is something bestowed upon us who believe in Jesus Christ, we who have deliberately violated His word and sinned. The name “Jesus” literally means “The Lord saves.” He came to save us from our sins. No one is exempt from the need for the salvation that Jesus brings. The good news is that He will save the churchgoer as well as the criminal who calls “upon His name.” This is the paradox of the gospel. God accepts us as just, even though we are not just, because Jesus is just and He bore the condemnation that we all deserved.

“LORD, thank You for reminding us we all have a desperate need for Your gift of salvation and righteousness and that Your gift is still being held out to all this day.”