The Righteousness of God Through Faith
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Romans 3:24
justified freely by... This means declaring not guilty; acquittal in court of heaven.
His grace through... Grace is the unmerited love and favor of God to man (see, Psm. 84:11).
redemption that is... Greek: apolutrosis, to redeem by paying the price (Exo. 21:8; Gal. 3:13); a deliverance by paying a ransom (1Tim. 2:6); deliverance from the penalty of sin, including forgiveness of sin (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7, 1:14; 4:30; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:15); and restoration of all creation from the curse (Rom. 8:23).
In view of man’s sin God has stepped in with His provided righteousness, because all who believe are justified (the pres. tense may be trans. “keep on being declared righteous,” i.e., each person as he believes is justified). “Justify” (dikaioō) is a legal term, meaning “declare righteous” (not “make righteous”; cf. Deut. 25:1).
God’s justification of those who believe is provided freely (dōrean, “as a free gift,” i.e., without charge) by His grace. God justifies by the instrument of His grace, His unmerited favor. Grace too is a favorite word of Paul’s, used by him in Romans 24 times (in the Gr.). But God would not declare a person righteous without an objective basis, without dealing with his sin. That basis is the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. This verb (justified), and related words from the same Greek root (such as justification), occur some 30 times in Romans and are concentrated in chpts. 2:13 – 5:1. This legal or forensic term comes form the Greek word for “righteous” and means “to declare righteous.” This verdict includes: Pardon from the guilt and penalty of sin, and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the believer’s account, which provides for the positive righteousness man needs to be accepted by God.
God declares a sinner righteous solely on the basis of the merits of Christ’s righteousness. God imputed a believer’s sin to Christ’s account in His sacrificial death. (Isa. 53:4-5; 1 Pet. 2:24), and He imputes Christ’s perfect obedience to God’s law to Christians.
The sinner receives this gift of God’s grace by faith alone.
Sanctification is the work of God by which He makes righteous those whom He has already justified and is distinct from justification but without exception, always follows it.
“Freely by His grace”: Justification is a gracious gift God extends to the repentant, believing sinner, wholly apart from human merit or work.
“Redemption”: The imagery behind this Greek word comes from the ancient slave market. It meant paying the necessary ransom to obtain the prisoner or slave’s release. The only adequate payment to redeem sinners from sin’s slavery and its deserved punishment was “in Christ Jesus”, and was paid to God to satisfy His justice.
The Greek word for “redemption” is apolytrōsis, from lytron, “a ransom payment.” Apolytrōsis is used 10 times in the New Testament (Luke 21:28; Rom. 3:24; 8:23; 1Cor. 1:30; Eph. 1:7, 1:14; 4:30; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:15). The death of Christ on the cross of Calvary was the price of payment for human sin which secured release from the bondage of Satan and sin for every person who trusts God’s promise of forgiveness and salvation.
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