Faith in Romans, Part 6: Righteousness Through the Faith of Jesus Christ; the Righteousness of God by Faith - His Wonderful Christmas Gift to Us:

Shortly before he was martyred, the Apostle Paul wrote the Philippians from his Roman prison cell: “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” Philippians 3:8 - 98 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

. Many years before writing this, Paul wrote the third chapter of Romans, which encapsulates the doctrine upon which this statement is based. The “all things” Paul counted as loss was what he at one time trusted for righteousness; he was “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;” Philippians 3:55 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

. But he subsequently learned from the Lord Jesus Christ and documented in Romans that all the things he had counted on for his righteousness were worthless and the only thing that counted came through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

Faith is the touchstone/ nexus in mankind’s relationship with God; the point at which mankind can meet God - “But without faith it is impossible to please him (God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:66 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

. It is through faith that God gives us salvation by His grace, Ephesians 2:88 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

. As pointed out in our last study, faith on man’s part is passive, i.e., ours is to believe God’s Word. “…faith by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,” Romans 10:1717 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

. (Believing is to have faith.) On the other hand, God is the active/operational agent in faith, “…. the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” Hebrews 11:11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

. God will do what He promises. The third chapter of Romans teaches the depravity/unrighteousness of man and uses the word “faith” 9 times demonstrating how God counts as righteous anyone who believes His Word:

1. We studied the first occurrence of faith in Romans 3 last week: “For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: let God be true, but every man a liar…” Romans 3:3 - 43 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

a. This teaches that the lack of belief, i.e., faith, on the part of mankind has no effect on God’s promises. God’s side of faith is active, He will accomplish what He promised; that which is hoped for and cannot be seen, Hebrews 11:1, regardless of whether men/women don’t believe, i.e., have faith.

2. “Now we know that what things so ever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:19 - 2019 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

. “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:21 - 2321 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

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“But now” was the point in time that God revealed to Paul His righteousness without the law and that His righteousness was “witnessed by the law and the prophets.” The Law and the Prophets are the Old Testament (OT) scriptures; and the OT witnessed to the righteousness of God. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:2323 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

. Both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin, Romans 3:99 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

b; there are none righteous, no not one, Romans 3:1010 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

; all mankind is totally depraved; Romans 3:11 - 1811 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

. These verses quote various OT passages, e.g., Ecclesiastes 7:2020 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

; Psalms 14:1 - 31 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

; 53:2 - 4; Isaiah 59:7 - 87 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.

8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

, to list a few. But in spite of mankind’s depravity/sinfulness, they can be righteous before God: “ … by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:” Thus we learn it is by the faith of Jesus Christ that the righteousness of God is accounted to anyone who believes (has “passive” faith).

3. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” Romans 3:24 - 2524 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

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These verses teach that believers living before the cross were subsequently “justified freely by his (God’s) grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood.” The Greek word translated “propitiation” (G2435) is only found twice in the New Testament (NT), here in Romans 3:2525 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

and in Hebrews 9:55 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

where it is translated “Mercy Seat.” The Mercy Seat was the cover of the Ark of the Covenant housed in the Holy of Holies, first in the Tabernacle and then in the Temple. Under the Law, the High Priest entered once a year and sprinkled the blood of sacrificial animals on the Mercy Seat for both his and the people’s sins, Leviticus 16:14 - 1514 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

. This pointed to the true Holy Place in Heaven where Christ entered one time with His blood (that applies forever), propitiating, i.e., expiating or purging the sins of all who believe, Hebrews 1:33 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

; Hebrews 9:11 - 1411 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

. The preposition “through,” in the phrase “through faith in His blood” indicates the idea of proceeding from and passing out. The preposition “in” as “in His blood” denotes being or remaining within. Thus, the propitiation/expiating/purging of sins is “through (proceeding from and passing out of) faith that rests in (being or remaining in) Christ Jesus’ blood.” The Ark of the Covenant held three items: 1) mana; 2) Aaron’s rod that budded and 3) the Law, Hebrews 9:44 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

. Mana was the food God provided Israel to maintain life, Exodus 16:1515 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.

; Aaron’s rod signified God’s power to judge, Exodus 7:8 - 128 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.

10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

and the authority of his Priesthood, Numbers 17:5 - 105 And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.

6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.

8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.

10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

; and God’s Law pronounced His required righteousness for how mankind was to live. This pointed to the fact that the propitiation of Jesus Christ’s blood gave: 1) life eternal to believers; 2) Jesus Christ the right to Judge and 3) the atoning sacrifice for every believer’s violation of the Law.

The phase in verse 25 “to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” means God forbear the sins of those who believed His specific Word to them prior to the cross until Christ’s blood was shed at which time it was applied to them.

4. Whereas Romans 3:25 speaks of the declaration of God’s righteousness for the remission of sins that were past; Romans 3:2626 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

goes on “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” The word translated “believeth” in the original Greek is the same word translated “faith” elsewhere. Thus, Romans 3:26 teaches that God’s righteousness was declared at “this time,” i.e., at the time it was revealed to Paul, that God might be just and the justifier of all who have had faith in Jesus thereafter, i.e., for the last almost 2000 years. So, “him which believeth” refers to the believer’s “passive faith” in Jesus’ blood since Paul.

5. “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” Romans 3:2727 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

. The “law of faith” is the doctrine of a sinner’s justification by faith in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

6. “Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3:2828 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

. No one can boast they kept the law perfectly except Jesus Christ. It is only by the faith of Jesus Christ that anyone can be righteous. This is where God’s active faith, the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen meet mankind’s passive faith, i.e., believing God’s Word.

The 7th, 8th and 9th occurrences of the word “faith” appear in the last 3 verses of Romans 3, as follows: “Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith (7), and uncircumcision through faith (8). Do we then make void the law through faith (9)? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Romans 3:29 - 3129 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

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7. God justified Jews who were so inwardly with the circumcision of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise was not of men, but of God, Romans 2:2929 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

; those who lived prior to the cross of Christ. They were justified “by faith,” Romans 3:3030 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

a. They obeyed the law, understanding it demonstrated they were sinners and needed to offer the sacrifices required by the law for their sins, by faith that God forgave them in doing so.

8. God has justified Gentiles since the cross through faith; Romans 3:30b, that is, we are justified through, i.e., that which proceeds from and passes out of faith that rests in (being or remaining in) Christ Jesus’ blood (His death). Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption at the cross and it is through His faith that God justifies believers.

9. The Law was not voided through faith, on the contrary, it was established, Romans 3:3131 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

. The Greek word translated “established” (G2476) occurs over 150 times in the NT but is translated “establish” only 5 times. It is most frequently translated “stand” or “stood,” the first time being in Matthew 2:99 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

: “… the star, which they (the wise men) saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.” Thus, the thought of the text is: “do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law (make it stand).” Romans 3:31. While on earth, Jesus said He did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it and that not one “jot or tittle” in the law would pass till all was fulfilled, Matthew 5:17 - 1817 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

, and He did fulfill the Law perfectly and “…. by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 9:1212 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

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We don’t know the date Jesus the Christ was born, however it is celebrated at this time of the year and as we do so we thank God for His Gift to us, which is righteousness for us today as we look forward to eternal life: “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:19 - 2019 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

20 I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

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