Sermons on Romans 3:21-22

Romans 3:21-22 Interpretation:

God's Justice and Mercy: The Gift of Salvation (Hyland Heights Baptist Church) interprets Romans 3:21-22 as the dramatic turning point in Paul’s argument, where the “bad news” of universal guilt is met with the “good news” of God’s righteousness being made available apart from the law, through faith in Jesus. The sermon uses the analogy of a courtroom, where the guilty party (all humanity) stands before a righteous judge, but instead of condemnation, the judge (God) offers to pay the penalty himself, thus satisfying both justice and mercy. The preacher also highlights the translation of “propitiation” as “Mercy Seat,” drawing a vivid connection to the Old Testament tabernacle, where the Mercy Seat was the place of atonement, now fulfilled in Christ. This analogy is extended by describing the Mercy Seat’s physical features and ritual use, emphasizing the tangible, historical reality of atonement now realized in Jesus.

Justification by Faith: The Path to Salvation (Shelby Christian & Missionary Alliance) interprets Romans 3:21-22 as Paul’s correction to both Jewish and Gentile misunderstandings of salvation, emphasizing that righteousness is not achieved by works or heritage but is a gift through faith in Christ. The sermon uses a modern legal analogy: in a courtroom, the guilty party cannot pay their own fine, but Jesus steps in to pay it, allowing the guilty to go free. This analogy is used to make the concept of justification accessible and relatable, and the preacher also notes the significance of the phrase “law and the prophets” as a technical term for the Old Testament, showing continuity between the testaments.

Justification by Faith: Understanding God's Righteousness in Christ (Ligonier Ministries) offers a detailed linguistic and theological analysis, distinguishing between “pardon” and “justification.” The sermon explains that justification is not merely forgiveness but a declaration of righteousness, based on the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. It introduces the distinction between Christ’s “active” and “passive” obedience, using the cross’s vertical and horizontal beams as a metaphor for propitiation (satisfying God’s justice) and expiation (removing sin). The preacher also draws on the Old Testament Day of Atonement, connecting the mercy seat and scapegoat rituals to Christ’s work. The sermon uniquely explores the Greek and theological nuances of “apart from the law,” and the imputation of righteousness, making a case for the Protestant understanding over against Roman Catholic and other interpretations.

Understanding God's Righteousness and Grace Through Christ (Ligonier Ministries) provides a unique linguistic insight into Romans 3:22, discussing the Greek construction and the scholarly debate over whether the phrase should be translated as “faith in Jesus Christ” or “the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.” The preacher explores the implications of both translations, ultimately emphasizing that salvation is by the works and faithfulness of Christ, not our own. The sermon also uses the example of the temple’s Court of the Gentiles to illustrate the radical inclusivity of the gospel, and the preacher’s rhetorical question, “Are we saved by works?” is answered provocatively: “Yes, but by the works of Jesus Christ.” This approach reframes the doctrine of justification in terms of Christ’s perfect obedience and faithfulness, rather than human effort.

Justification by Faith Alone: The Heart of the Gospel (Ligonier Ministries) interprets Romans 3:21-22 through the lens of the Reformation, focusing on the concept of “imputation.” The sermon uses the Latin phrase “simul justus et peccator” (simultaneously just and sinner) to explain that believers are declared righteous not because of inherent righteousness but because Christ’s righteousness is credited to them. The preacher contrasts the “analytical” (Roman Catholic) and “synthetic” (Reformation) views of justification, using philosophical categories to clarify that justification is based on something added to the believer (Christ’s righteousness), not something found within. The analogy of a legal transfer or reckoning is central, and the sermon highlights the “double imputation” of our sin to Christ and his righteousness to us.

Faith and Righteousness: The Heart of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth for Life) interprets Romans 3:21-22 as the pivotal turning point in Paul’s argument, emphasizing the “but now” as a dramatic shift from the hopelessness of human effort under the law to the hope of God’s provided righteousness. Begg uniquely highlights the “divine exchange” or “sweet exchange” (from a second-century Christian writer), where the wickedness of many is hidden in the righteousness of one, and the righteousness of one justifies many. He draws a sharp distinction between justification as a legal declaration outside of us (not an experience within), and uses the analogy of a courtroom and a slave market to explain justification and redemption, respectively. He also explores the term “propitiation,” explaining it as the removal of God’s wrath, and uses a memorable phrase, “God propitiates God,” to encapsulate the mystery of the cross. Begg’s approach is marked by a focus on the continuity of God’s promise from the Old Testament, the futility of self-justification, and the comprehensive nature of the gospel for all who believe, Jew and Gentile alike.

Understanding Righteousness: The Struggle Between Law and Grace (Desiring God) offers a distinctive interpretation by focusing on the concept of “alien righteousness”—a righteousness that is not our own but is credited to us through faith in Christ. The sermon delves into the Greek term for “credited” (imputed, reckoned, counted), emphasizing that faith is the channel, not the substance, of righteousness. The preacher uses the metaphor of “standing before the infinite, flaming, holy Judge” and asks whose righteousness will commend us, underscoring the utter necessity of Christ’s righteousness. The sermon also draws a linguistic distinction in Romans 10:4, translating the Greek word “telos” as both “end” and “goal,” to show that Christ is the fulfillment and culmination of the law for righteousness to all who believe.

Imputed Righteousness: The Foundation of Justification by Faith (Desiring God) provides a nuanced linguistic and theological analysis, arguing that when Paul says “faith is credited as righteousness,” he does not mean faith itself is righteousness, but that faith unites us to Christ, whose perfect righteousness is then imputed to us. The preacher offers a unique definition of “the righteousness of God” as “God’s unwavering allegiance to his own glory,” and asserts that what is imputed to us is Christ’s perfect allegiance to God’s glory. The sermon also highlights the “double imputation” (our sin to Christ, his righteousness to us) and uses the analogy of a legal transaction and a “sweet exchange” to make the point vivid.

Justification by Faith: God's Gift of Righteousness (Desiring God) interprets Romans 3:21-22 as the “major turn” in Paul’s letter, where the hopelessness of human effort is replaced by the revelation of a “God-wrought, God-given righteousness” available as a gift through faith. The preacher uses the metaphor of “asbestos righteousness”—a protective covering that allows one to pass through the flames of judgment unscathed. The sermon also explores the continuity of justification by faith from the Old Testament, using Abraham and David as models, and emphasizes the sufficiency and exclusivity of Christ’s righteousness for both Old and New Testament believers.

Embracing God's Righteousness: The Power of Faith (Desiring God) interprets Romans 3:21-22 as the climactic answer to the universal indictment of sin, presenting the offer of “free righteousness” as the only remedy. The preacher uses the vivid metaphor of being “clothed in asbestos” to survive the flames of final judgment, and frames the passage as the moment when one turns away from all self-salvation and embraces Christ’s righteousness as a gift. The sermon is marked by its existential urgency and its call to abandon all claims to self-righteousness.

Romans 3:21-22 Theological Themes:

God's Justice and Mercy: The Gift of Salvation (Hyland Heights Baptist Church) introduces the theme of the “collision” of God’s holiness and love at the cross, where justice and mercy meet. The sermon’s focus on the Mercy Seat as a symbol of both judgment and grace provides a nuanced understanding of how God can be both just and the justifier, and the preacher’s emphasis on the “gift” nature of justification challenges any notion of human merit.

Justification by Faith: The Path to Salvation (Shelby Christian & Missionary Alliance) adds a fresh angle by applying the doctrine of justification to contemporary issues of inclusion and exclusion, using the example of political and religious divisions to illustrate the radical impartiality of God’s grace. The sermon challenges listeners to see “enemies” as equally eligible for salvation, thus expanding the practical implications of “no distinction between Jew and Gentile.”

Justification by Faith: Understanding God's Righteousness in Christ (Ligonier Ministries) presents the theme of “active and passive obedience” of Christ as essential to justification, arguing that both Christ’s perfect life and his sacrificial death are necessary for believers to be declared righteous. The sermon also introduces the motif of “covering,” tracing it from Genesis through the Day of Atonement to the imputed righteousness of Christ, and emphasizes the inseparable link between sola fide (faith alone) and sola gratia (grace alone).

Understanding God's Righteousness and Grace Through Christ (Ligonier Ministries) uniquely explores the theological significance of the Greek grammar in Romans 3:22, suggesting that the “faithfulness of Jesus Christ” may be the basis of our justification. The sermon also highlights the danger of presuming upon God’s grace and the necessity of understanding both God’s wrath and grace to fully appreciate the gospel.

Justification by Faith Alone: The Heart of the Gospel (Ligonier Ministries) introduces the philosophical distinction between “analytical” and “synthetic” justification, using this to clarify the Reformation’s insistence on imputation. The sermon’s use of “simul justus et peccator” provides a nuanced understanding of the believer’s status before God, and the concept of “double imputation” (our sin to Christ, his righteousness to us) is presented as the heart of the gospel.

Faith and Righteousness: The Heart of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth for Life) introduces the theme of the “divine exchange” or “sweet exchange,” where Christ’s righteousness is substituted for our sin, and justification is a legal declaration outside of us, not an internal transformation. Begg also stresses the unity of God’s justice and love at the cross, where the penalty of the law is not set aside but paid in full by Christ, and the radical inclusivity of the gospel—there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile.

Understanding Righteousness: The Struggle Between Law and Grace (Desiring God) presents the theme of “alien righteousness,” emphasizing that the righteousness that justifies is entirely external to us and is received by faith alone. The sermon adds the facet that the law’s true purpose is to point to Christ, not to serve as a means of self-justification, and that the law is vindicated, not nullified, by justification by faith.

Imputed Righteousness: The Foundation of Justification by Faith (Desiring God) develops the theme of “double imputation” and offers a fresh angle by defining the righteousness of God as God’s unwavering allegiance to his own glory, which is perfectly fulfilled in Christ and then credited to believers. The sermon also highlights the necessity of catechizing believers (including children) in the doctrine of imputation for the sake of global missions and generational faithfulness.

Justification by Faith: God's Gift of Righteousness (Desiring God) brings out the theme of “asbestos righteousness”—a righteousness so secure and protective that it shields the believer from the flames of judgment. The sermon also emphasizes the continuity of justification by faith across redemptive history, showing that Old Testament saints were justified in the same way as New Testament believers.

Embracing God's Righteousness: The Power of Faith (Desiring God) adds the existential theme of abandoning all self-salvation and self-justification, and the necessity of embracing Christ’s righteousness as a free gift. The sermon’s unique contribution is its focus on the psychological and spiritual relief that comes from ceasing all efforts at self-justification and resting in Christ alone.

Romans 3:21-22 Historical and Contextual Insights:

Justification by Faith: The Path to Salvation (Shelby Christian & Missionary Alliance) provides historical context about the Roman church’s composition of Jews and Gentiles, explaining the cultural and religious backgrounds that shaped their views on law and salvation. The preacher also references the Roman adoption of Greek gods and the diversity of religious practices in first-century Rome, situating Paul’s message within a pluralistic and divided society.

Justification by Faith: Understanding God's Righteousness in Christ (Ligonier Ministries) offers historical insight into the Old Testament sacrificial system, especially the Day of Atonement, the role of the mercy seat, and the scapegoat ritual. The sermon explains how these practices prefigured Christ’s work, and draws connections between the Old Testament and Paul’s argument in Romans.

Understanding God's Righteousness and Grace Through Christ (Ligonier Ministries) provides historical context regarding the Edict of Claudius and the return of Jews to Rome, explaining the tensions between Jewish and Gentile Christians in the Roman congregations. The sermon also discusses the structure of the temple and the significance of the Court of the Gentiles, using this to illustrate the radical inclusivity of the gospel.

Justification by Faith Alone: The Heart of the Gospel (Ligonier Ministries) gives historical background on the Reformation, the controversy between Luther and the Roman Catholic Church, and the centrality of the doctrine of imputation in the sixteenth-century debates. The preacher references the Diet of Worms and the failed attempts at reconciliation between Protestant and Catholic theologians, highlighting the enduring significance of the doctrine.

Faith and Righteousness: The Heart of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth for Life) provides extensive historical context by recounting the story of Martin Luther’s struggle with the question of how a sinner can be right with God, his disillusionment with religious works, and his breakthrough upon reading Romans. Begg situates the Reformation as a rediscovery of the apostolic gospel, contrasting the man-made rules of the medieval church with the biblical doctrine of justification by faith. He also references the cultural practice of reading aloud in the ancient world (the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts), and explains the Old Testament sacrificial system as pointing forward to Christ. Additionally, Begg clarifies that the “law and the prophets” in verse 21 refers to the entire Old Testament bearing witness to the coming righteousness in Christ, and he corrects the misconception that the New Testament represents a “plan B” after the Old Testament failed.

Romans 3:21-22 Cross-References in the Bible:

God's Justice and Mercy: The Gift of Salvation (Hyland Heights Baptist Church) references Luke 15 (the parable of the prodigal son) to illustrate the nature of God’s grace as described in Romans 3:21-22, drawing a parallel between the father’s unconditional forgiveness and God’s justification of sinners. The sermon also alludes to Exodus 25 and Leviticus in its discussion of the Mercy Seat, connecting the Old Testament atonement rituals to Christ’s sacrifice.

Justification by Faith: The Path to Salvation (Shelby Christian & Missionary Alliance) references Genesis 15:6 (“Abraham believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness”) to support the argument that justification by faith predates the Mosaic law. The sermon also alludes to Romans 1 and 6, using these passages to reinforce the universality of sin and the gift nature of salvation. The story of Jonah is used as a biblical example of God’s impartial grace toward “enemies.”

Justification by Faith: Understanding God's Righteousness in Christ (Ligonier Ministries) references Psalm 14 (“There is none righteous, no not one”), Genesis 15 (Abraham’s faith), and the Day of Atonement rituals in Leviticus. The sermon also cites Ephesians 1 (the long Pauline sentence) and John 3 (Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus) to expand on the themes of justification and the universality of the gospel.

Understanding God's Righteousness and Grace Through Christ (Ligonier Ministries) references Romans 1:16-17 (“the righteousness of God is revealed”), John 2 (the cleansing of the temple), and John 3 (“For God so loved the world”), using these passages to illustrate the continuity of God’s plan and the inclusivity of salvation. The sermon also alludes to Old Testament passages about the law and the prophets, and the structure of the temple.

Justification by Faith Alone: The Heart of the Gospel (Ligonier Ministries) references Genesis 15 (Abraham’s faith), Psalm 32 (David’s blessing of forgiveness), and Romans 3:19-26 in detail. The preacher also alludes to the broader biblical narrative of atonement and the transfer of sin, using these cross-references to support the doctrine of imputation.

Faith and Righteousness: The Heart of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth for Life) references Acts 8 (the Ethiopian eunuch reading Isaiah), Isaiah 53 (“all we like sheep have gone astray”), and Peter’s epistle (prophets and angels longing to see the fulfillment of God’s promises). He also alludes to Genesis (Abraham’s justification by faith), and the Westminster Confession and Heidelberg Catechism (though these are Christian references outside the Bible). The sermon uses these passages to show the continuity of the gospel promise and the Old Testament’s witness to justification by faith.

Understanding Righteousness: The Struggle Between Law and Grace (Desiring God) references Romans 4:5-6 (faith credited as righteousness), Romans 10:3-4 (the law’s goal is Christ for righteousness), Romans 5:19 (obedience of one makes many righteous), and 2 Corinthians 5:21 (God made Christ to be sin so we might become the righteousness of God). Each passage is used to reinforce the doctrine of imputed righteousness and the futility of self-justification.

Imputed Righteousness: The Foundation of Justification by Faith (Desiring God) references Romans 4:6, 4:11 (righteousness credited apart from works), Romans 3:21-22 (righteousness of God through faith), 2 Corinthians 5:21 (double imputation), and 1 Corinthians 1:30 (Christ as our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption). These passages are marshaled to support the argument that faith is the means of union with Christ, not the substance of righteousness itself.

Justification by Faith: God's Gift of Righteousness (Desiring God) references Romans 1:16-17 (righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith), Romans 4:3 (Abraham believed God, credited as righteousness), Psalm 32 (David on forgiveness and righteousness apart from works), Psalm 103 (God not dealing with us according to our sins), and Isaiah 53:11 (the righteous servant justifies many). The sermon uses these texts to demonstrate the Old Testament’s witness to justification by faith and the substitutionary work of Christ.

Embracing God's Righteousness: The Power of Faith (Desiring God) references Romans 3:21-22 directly as the answer to the universal indictment of sin, and alludes to the preceding chapters of Romans (1:18–3:18) to set up the need for God’s righteousness. The preacher also references the “mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life” from Proverbs, and Ephesians 2 (God making us alive together with Christ by grace).

Romans 3:21-22 Christian References outside the Bible:

God's Justice and Mercy: The Gift of Salvation (Hyland Heights Baptist Church) explicitly references John Piper, quoting him as saying that Romans 3:21-26 is “the most important paragraph in the Bible.” The preacher uses this citation to underscore the centrality of the passage for Christian doctrine and to frame the sermon’s exposition.

Justification by Faith Alone: The Heart of the Gospel (Ligonier Ministries) references Martin Luther extensively, discussing his “tower experience,” his use of the Latin phrases “extra nos” and “justicium alienum,” and his famous formula “simul justus et peccator.” The preacher also discusses the Reformation’s “solas” and the historical debates between Protestant and Catholic theologians, situating the interpretation of Romans 3:21-22 within this broader theological tradition.

Faith and Righteousness: The Heart of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth for Life) explicitly references Martin Luther’s personal struggle and theological breakthrough, using Luther’s own words and experience to illustrate the impact of Romans 3:21-22. Begg also cites the Westminster Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism on justification, quoting their definitions to clarify the doctrine. He references a second-century Christian writer’s phrase “sweet exchange,” and mentions theologians such as John Knox, Zwingli, Latimer, Ridley, Calvin, and Karl Barth (quoting Barth’s famous answer, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so”). He also credits John Stott for the insight that “God propitiates God,” and quotes hymn writers Annie Johnson Flint and Cecil Frances Alexander to illustrate the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement.

Romans 3:21-22 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Justification by Faith: The Path to Salvation (Shelby Christian & Missionary Alliance) uses contemporary political and cultural examples to illustrate the impartiality of God’s grace in Romans 3:21-22. The preacher describes the polarization between left-wing and right-wing political parties in America, noting how each side tends to see itself as morally superior or more deserving of God’s favor. The sermon warns against aligning Christian identity with any political party, arguing that both sides need the gospel equally. The preacher also uses the analogy of a modern courtroom, where a financial fine can be paid by someone else, to explain the concept of substitutionary atonement and justification. Additionally, the preacher references the film “Forrest Gump” as a humorous aside about personal inadequacy, using the character’s famous line “I’m not a smart man” to connect with the congregation on the topic of understanding complex theological concepts.

Faith and Righteousness: The Heart of the Gospel (Alistair Begg, Truth for Life) briefly references Greek and Roman mythology and literature, contrasting their stories of humans making promises to appease the gods with the biblical narrative of God making promises to humanity. Begg uses this comparison to highlight the uniqueness of the gospel, where God is the promise-maker and promise-keeper, rather than humanity striving to earn divine favor. This analogy serves to underscore the radical grace of justification by faith apart from works.