Romans 3:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

NIV: For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

NASB: For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

CSB: For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

NLT: So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

KJV: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

NKJV: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

This verse is a summary of what Paul has written in Romans 3:21–27. It also serves as a useful, concise proof that our salvation is not, in any sense, dependent on good deeds, rituals, sacraments, or other behaviors. Prior verses made it clear: we cannot and will not be seen as righteous before God on the basis of our own efforts (Romans 3:10). However, unless God declares a person to be "justified"—righteous, having no sin in need of punishment—that person cannot be with God. The unjustified person has earned God's angry judgment.

Paul has shown that nobody is able to reach this level of being justified by following the works of the law. Human beings can't do it. We sin. It's in our nature. Once we have sinned, the price of our sin is to be excluded from God's glory (Romans 3:23).

Thankfully, God provides a way—but only one way—for humans to be declared "justified." This comes through faith and not through works of the law. Later, Paul will expand on this to further prove that this salvation is entirely on the basis of faith, with no contribution or requirement of works, whatsoever (Romans 4:3; 11:6).

Romans 3:21–31 finally introduces the ''good news'' part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Up to this point, Paul has shown that even following the law cannot spare us from being judged by God for our sin. Now Paul announces that, through faith in Christ, we can be made righteous in God's sight. Entirely apart from the law, we can be redeemed by the atoning sacrifice of Christ's blood, willingly shed for our sin. This gift of God's grace instead of wrath is available to everyone, Jews and Gentiles alike. This is truly good news!

Romans 3 begins with a question-and-answer scheme. These are responses one might expect from someone opposed to what Paul wrote in Romans 2. Next, Paul quotes from a series of Old Testament passages. These Scriptures show that those writers also agreed that nobody, not one person, deserves to be called righteous. Paul declares emphatically that no one will be justified by following the works of the law. Finally, though, he arrives at the good news: righteousness before God is available apart from the law through faith in Christ's death for our sin on the cross.

The prior chapter explained that God's judgment on sin will come to all men, whether or not they understand the literal law. Faith in God, in the heart, matters more to God than rote obedience. At the start of this chapter, Paul answers a series of questions from an imagined objector to those teachings. Next, he quotes a series of Old Testament passages which support His teaching that human beings are by nature sinful. Each of us turns away from God. Nobody can be justified by the law, Paul insists. Fortunately, it is possible to attain God's righteousness: but only by His grace, through faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice for our sin on the cross. We must come to this by faith, and it is available to Jews and Gentiles alike.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.