The Universal Solution: Justification
3:21 to 5:11
Romans 1:18 to 3:20 (to see link click Aj – The Universal Need of Mankind), while important in its own right, is nevertheless preliminary to the main point that Paul wants to establish in this part of his letter: the availability of the righteousness of ADONAI to all who respond in faith. The Good News, announced in 1:17 is now elaborated on. The essential points are packed into 3:21-16, a passage Martin Luther called, “The chief point, and the very central place of the letter, and the whole Bible.” The remainder of Chapter 3 develops one major element of this extraordinary rich passage: faith is the only basis for justification.71
In Chapter 4, Paul shifts gears and demonstrates that God alone can provide that righteousness. To illustrate this truth, Paul devotes the entire chapter to Abraham (see Bc – The Example of Justification). This man, who is at the forefront of the righteous of the TaNaKh in the Scriptures, is a shining example of the central biblical truth that a person can become justified only by faith in response to the grace of ADONAI, never by works.72
Up to this point, Paul has proved that the whole world is guilty before YHVH, and that no one can be saved by works. He has explained that God’s way of salvation has always been by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), and he has used Abraham as his illustration. If the reader stopped at this point, he would know that he needed to be saved and could be saved. But there is much more the sinner needs to know about justification by faith. Is his salvation eternal or merely temporary? How is it possible for Ha’Shem to save a sinner through the death of Messiah on the cross? In Chapter 5, Paul reveals the fruits of our justification, and the basis for our justification.73
Paul teaches about our salvation in three phases: the past, or justification, here; the present, or sanctification (see Ca – The Spiritual Battle); and the future, or glorification (see Cj – The Completed Redemption).
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