Paul’s view of the
righteousness of God (3:214:25)
Paul’s Letter to the Romans
God’s righteousness revealed
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God’s righteousness revealed in the cross
(3:21-26)
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The source of our justification: God and his grace
The ground of our justification: Christ and his cross
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2
Redemption
Propitiation
Demonstration
The means of our justification: faith
Paul's Letter to the Romans
The meaning of the cross
The SOURCE of Justification:
 Yahweh has provided it!
 In forbearance he suspended judgment
until the time he chose for the grounds
of justification to be delivered
 Our faith is a response – accepting the
gift…
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3
Paul's Letter to the Romans
The meaning of the cross
Redemption
 Propitiation
 Demonstration
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4
Paul's Letter to the Romans
The meaning of the cross
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5
Redemption
The purchase back of something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom. The Greek
word so rendered is apolutrosis, a word occurring nine times in Scripture, and always with the
idea of a ransom or price paid, i.e., redemption by a lutron (see Mat_20:28; Mar_10:45). There
are instances in the LXX. Version of the Old Testament of the use of lutron in man's relation to
man (Lev_19:20; Lev_25:51; Exo_21:30; Num_35:31, Num_35:32; Isa_45:13; Pro_6:35), and in
the same sense of man's relation to God (Num_3:49; Num_18:15).
There are many passages in the New Testament which represent Christ's sufferings under the
idea of a ransom or price, and the result thereby secured is a purchase or redemption (Compare
Act_20:28; 1Co_6:19, 1Co_6:20; Gal_3:13; Gal_4:4, Gal_4:5; Eph_1:7; Col_1:14; 1Ti_2:5,
1Ti_2:6; Tit_2:14; Heb_9:12; 1Pe_1:18, 1Pe_1:19; Rev_5:9). The idea running through all these
texts, however various their reference, is that of payment made for our redemption. The debt
against us is not viewed as simply canceled, but is fully paid. Christ's blood or life, which he
surrendered for them, is the “ransom” by which the deliverance of his people from the servitude of
sin and from its penal consequences is secured. It is the plain doctrine of Scripture that “Christ
saves us neither by the mere exercise of power, nor by his doctrine, nor by his example, nor by
the moral influence which he exerted, nor by any subjective influence on his people, whether
natural or mystical, but as a satisfaction to divine justice, as an expiation for sin, and as a ransom
from the curse and authority of the law, thus reconciling us to God by making it consistent with his
perfection to exercise mercy toward sinners” (Hodge's Systematic Theology).
Paul's Letter to the Romans
The meaning of the cross
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6
Propitiation
That by which God is rendered propitious (favorably inclined), i.e., by which it
becomes consistent with his character and government to pardon and bless the
sinner. The propitiation does not procure his love or make him loving; it only renders
it consistent for him to exercise his love towards sinners.
In Rom_3:25 and Heb_9:5 (A.V., “mercy-seat”) the Greek word hilasterion is used. It
is the word employed by the LXX. translators in Exo_25:17 and elsewhere as the
equivalent for the Hebrew kapporeth, which means “covering,” and is used of the lid
of the ark of the covenant (Exo_25:21; Exo_30:6). This Greek word (hilasterion)
came to denote not only the mercy-seat or lid of the ark, but also propitiation or
reconciliation by blood. On the great day of atonement the high priest carried the
blood of the sacrifice he offered for all the people within the veil and sprinkled with it
the “mercy-seat,” and so made propitiation.
In 1Jo_2:2; 1Jo_4:10, Christ is called the “propitiation for our sins.” Here a different
Greek word is used (hilasmos). Christ is “the propitiation,” because by his becoming
our substitute and assuming our obligations he expiated our guilt, covered it, by the
vicarious punishment which he endured. (Compare Heb_2:17, where the expression
“make reconciliation” of the KJV is more correctly translated in the NKJV and ESV as
“make propitiation.”)
Paul's Letter to the Romans
The meaning of the cross
7
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Demonstration
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Let’s read 3:25-26 again
Paul's Letter to the Romans
The meaning of the cross
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Faith is the means of acceptance, the
step through the door.
 God honours faith and great faith
honours God
 The measure of our belief in the
promises of God is key to the Glory
given to Him when they are revealed,
and to the full measure of our credit
(4:19-22)
Paul's Letter to the Romans
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8
The means…
God’s righteousness defended
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God’s righteousness defended against
criticism (3:27-31)
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On what grounds do you boast? V27f
Is God only the God of the Jews? V 29f
Is law nullified by faith? V31
Paul's Letter to the Romans
Justification by faith
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So, according to Paul’s answer to the
three objections, justification by faith
achieves three ends:
a) humbles sinners
b) unites believers
c) upholds the law
Paul's Letter to the Romans
God’s righteousness illustrated
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God’s righteousness is illustrated in the
life of Abraham (4:1-25)
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11
Abraham was not justified by works (1-8)
Abraham was not justified by circumcision (912)
Abraham was not justified by the law (13-17)
Paul's Letter to the Romans
The point of the illustration
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Abraham was justified by faith (17-22)
Abraham’s faith and ours (23-25). Abraham
was not unique: this is God’s way of salvation
for everyone.
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Not positive thinking
Not whistling in the dark to keep your spirits up
Not gritting your teeth to believe what you know isn’t
true
BUT REASONED FAITH that faces the facts
Paul's Letter to the Romans