The Law of Faith

Romans 3:22-31

Paul begins this section of his epistle by stating that the distinctions between God’s image bearers has been abolished in Christ. We are all born in Adam, our sin being inherited from him. All are condemned as sinners and hence all justified only by faith. This means, also, that the way of righteousness by faith is opened to all. We are not only equal in guilt, but also equal in the gift given and equal in receiving that gift by faith alone.

The scripture goes on to say “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” As humans made in God’s image but marred by sin, we fail to get over the bar of God’s approval. God created mankind to reflect His glory. But, we have all failed to do so by turning inward. We are totally unable to justify ourselves. This is only through the righteousness of another, as a free gift of grace.

This was all to show God’s righteousness and to bring Him glory (verse 25). Here we see God’s righteousness as His own faithfulness covenant keeping goodness. This is so that He might be “be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (verse 26). He did this by putting forth Jesus as the propitiation for sin by His blood.

The idea of propitiation carries with it a bringing of atonement through the putting aside the wrath of God. It can be translated as mercy seat, a reference to the cover over the Ark of the Covenant where blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement. All of this was perfectly fulfilled in Christ. Propitiation, then, is a sacrifice by which God is made reconciled to the sinner. This was all by the divine will of God. In Christ, God has passed over our sin. When God received the blood of bulls and goats, He was passing over those sins. The connection between the symbols of the sacrifices and the reality of Jesus’ death is  apparent.

So what becomes of boasting (verse 27)? Boasting would stand if justification was accomplished by a law of works, a self-righteousness, even if our righteousness were only partial. All merit and all boasting are excluded if justification is by a free gift of grace and received by faith alone in Christ Jesus. It is by the “law of faith” (verse 27). Faith has a principle, a law, that completely prohibits any kind of boasting. The Law rightly understood and applied must always have been and must always be kept by Faith; therefore it has always been the “Law of Faith” Faith keeps the Law. When we rightly walk by faith in the Spirit, we do that which the Law has always required. Again, it is by faith alone.