From Faith - For Faith

Men are not justified before God from the works of the Mosaic Law, but rather from the faith of Jesus Christ.

Paul demonstrates that all men have sinned in his letter to the Romans. Jews and Gentiles alike violate God’s revealed will, therefore, no one is justified before Him “from the works of the Law.” Jews have the Mosaic Law but fall short of its requirements. Gentiles have the witness of their conscience yet live and even revel in their sins. If no one is set right before God “from the works of the Law,” how are we reconciled with Him?

[Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash]

Fortunately, Paul did not leave us without explanation or hope. After his opening salutations, he declared there is a “righteousness of God” that is being “manifested apart from the Law”:

• “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to every man who believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For in it is being revealed a righteousness of God from faith for faith, as it is written, the righteous one shall live from faith” – (Romans 1:16-17).

This pronouncement becomes the main theme of the Letter. It goes to the heart of its message. God has provided salvation through His Son for all men and women who exercise faith in Him. The Gospel contains the “power” to save men and women, Jews and Gentiles, from the “wrath of God.”

Paul refers to the righteousness “of God”, namely, to something God possesses. “Righteousness of God” does not refer to an unachievable ethical standard men must meet. Certainly, there are moral absolutes, but that is not the point.

Paul uses a progressive present tense verb - God’s “righteousness,” His faithfulness, is “being revealed” whenever the Gospel is preached. The salvation that commenced with his Death and Resurrection continues as Jesus and his message are attested before men, both Jews and Gentiles.

Righteousness is revealed, “from faith, for faith.” The two Greek prepositions are specific – “from” (‘ek’) and “for” (‘eis’, or “unto faith”). There is a source (“from”) and a recipient of this righteousness (“for faith”).

The source is the “the Righteous One.” The Apostle uses a noun in the singular number accompanied by a direct article or “the.” He is referring to a specific person, namely, Jesus. This is his shorthand description of what Jesus accomplished by his death. The language is cryptic, but more details are provided as the Letter progresses.

Paul is not discussing how believers live daily, but how they are put in right standing before God in the first place, the basis of their “justification,” which is the faith of the “Righteous One.”

In a letter in which he stresses that “no one is righteous, no not one,” it would be strange to describe anyone other than Jesus as “righteous.” Unrighteous sinners are reconciled with God “through the faith of Jesus Christ.” His faithfulness in death demonstrated God’s righteousness, His covenant faithfulness:

• “But now, apart from the law a righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through the faith OF Jesus Christ for all them who believe; for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and lack the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God presented as expiation, through faith, by his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done before, in the forbearance of God, for the showing of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that has faith in Jesus” – (Romans 3:21-26).

Paul used a genitive case noun, “the faith OF Jesus.” If he intended to write “in Jesus,” he would have used the dative case and inserted the preposition ‘en’, meaning “in” or “by.” However, no Greek preposition is present in the clause, and the genitive noun signifies something that Jesus possessed or characterized him.

Paul refers to his faith, namely, the “faith” or “faithfulness OF Jesus.” Most likely, he means his faithful obedience “unto death.” His faithful obedient act justifies us before God and produces our salvation. This righteousness is “for [eis] all men who believe.” Faith is how the penitent man responds to the righteousness “from the faith of Jesus.”

We are set right “freely by His grace” that is available “through the redemption in Jesus.” We receive justification and salvation “from” the Righteous One “for” our response of faith to what God did in His Son.

The term “redemption” represents a Greek word formed with the preposition ‘apo’ (“from”), the noun ‘lutron’ (“ransom”), and the verb ‘luô’ (“loose, release”). The idea is a “ransomed release.” This release is accomplished through ransom. The language is metaphorical, and questions about who paid what to whom do not enter Paul’s discussion.

In his death on the Cross, God “presented Jesus” as His answer to humanity’s plight, His faithful response to mankind’s predicament, both Jews and Gentiles. Paul uses a verb for something set forth - something or someone presented for public display. Jesus was “presented” on the Cross as the ‘hilastérion,’ the source and means of God’s promised salvation, and the justification for His act of forgiving and redeeming men and women.

When we debate whether ‘hilastérion’ means “propitiation” or “expiation” we overlook the background from the Book of Leviticus. The Greek Septuagint version of the Old Testament uses the term for the “mercy seat” in the inner sanctum of the Tabernacle. Paul uses an analogy from the annual Day of Atonement when the High Priest entered the “holy of holies” with sacrificial blood that was sprinkled before and on the “mercy seat” to “cover” the stain of Israel’s sin that defiled the Tabernacle itself - (Leviticus 16:15-17).

The “mercy seat” was where God met with the priestly representative of Israel and reconciliation was made by applying animal blood to the mercy seat. In Leviticus, the blood “covered” the stains of Israel’s sin that had defiled the “mercy seat” and the “holy place” over the preceding year. The blood was not applied to Israelites. Thus, Jesus was the place and the means of reconciliation.

However, there are differences between the Levitical ritual and Christ’s sacrifice. In the Temple, the High Priest entered the “holy of holies” alone and out of sight of the people, but God “presented” Jesus openly as the place and means of sacrifice for all men to see. The High Priest applied the blood of bulls and goats to the “mercy seat,” but God used the blood of Jesus.

Through his faithful act, Jesus became the “mercy seat,” so to speak, the place of reconciliation and the means for reconciling men to God. His sacrificial death is also “proof,” the evidence of God’s “righteousness,” of His justice and covenant faithfulness since He kept His promises by sending His Son to provide salvation for His people.

EVIDENCE

In His “forbearance,” God “passed over” our past sins. By putting off our just desserts until the “Day of wrath” He spared us from experiencing the “wrath” we so richly deserve, or at least postponed it. He dealt decisively with the problem through His Son.

This was done “for proof in the present time,” for God made salvation available for all men through His Son. This is why the paragraph concludes - “To the end, His Righteous One, even the one who is being set right from the faith OF Jesus.”

The clause rendered “to the end” translates ‘eis to einai,’ indicating purpose - “to the end, for the purpose.” The term “his Righteous One” (‘auton dikaion,’ singular) reiterates the Letter’s opening proposition that the “Righteous One will live from faith.” The source of that faith is identified – “from the faith of Jesus.” Men and women are reconciled to God based on Christ’s faithful act. His faithfulness in death is the foundation of God’s declaration that a man or woman is justified before Him. Faith is how we respond to his faithful deed on our behalf. It is the sacrificial death of Jesus that saves us.

This understanding is confirmed in the conclusion of Chapter 3.  There can be no “boasting,” no claim laid upon God because of our faithful law-keeping. He owes us nothing but wrath and death. We are not justified “from the law” of Moses, but “from a law of faith,” namely, the “faith of Jesus Christ.”

In this “present time,” men are justified by responding to that gracious act with faith in what God has done for them “through the faithfulness of Jesus.” The Gospel is the “power of God for salvation” to every man who responds to the “faith of Jesus” - his faithfulness in death - with faith in what God has accomplished in and through His Son.

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RELATED POSTS:

• Salvation and Wrath Revealed - (Paul presents his gospel to the assemblies of Rome, a message about God’s righteousness or wrath for all men, Jews and Gentiles alike)

• The Gospel Message - (Jesus summoned his disciples to proclaim the Good News of his Kingdom to every inhabited corner of the Earth)

• His Covenant Faithfulness - (The “righteousness of God” refers to His faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. This is demonstrated above all by the salvation He provided through Jesus)