HOW CAN SINNERS BE ACCEPTED BY A HOLY GOD? Through Justification!

Beginning with Romans 3:21, the Apostle Paul begins to present the solution to the great human dilemma of sin. He will present a trinity of truths that answer the critical question, “How can sinners be accepted by a holy God?” As we have seen previously this week, he has written that the answer is found in redemption and propitiation. Now, he comes to the third facet of Christ’s work: justification in Romans 3:26-31.

26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,
30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

THE PARDON IS PROVIDED! We have traveled from the slave market, to the temple altar and now arrive in the court room in pursuing the answer to how sinners can be accepted by a holy God.

I heard of a notorious mobster sitting in a prison cell waiting sentencing. The evidence against him was overwhelming. He knew he was in big trouble. So, it appeared that he was experiencing a “jail house” conversion as a prison guard beheld him feverishly flipping through the pages of a Gideon Bible. The guard called to him, “What are you doing?” The gangster answered, “I’m looking for a loophole!”

Forget that—there aren’t any! No fine print! No exceptions—all of us are guilty before God and His righteousness demands the death penalty—the second death in everlasting hell.

Thus, we face the enormous problem alluded to in verse 26, “to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Do we understand the immensity of this conundrum? How could God pronounce sinners justified and yet remain true to His just demands? He wants to do the former because He is a God of infinite love, but He must do the latter for He is a God of incorruptible holiness. He cannot compromise His justice in order to justify us.

Here’s the answer: Jesus—God in the flesh—took our sins, died in our place, and bore our hell so that we can be forgiven. Beyond that, all the perfect righteousness of the stainless Son of God was credited to our account. Amazing grace it is!

It is all God’s work. There is no room for boasting on our part. Paul writes, “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.” (Rom.1:27)

Anyone who places their faith in Christ is pardoned.

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.(Rom.1:28-31)

A pardoned criminal isn’t an innocent one—it is one who is pardoned despite his or her crime. We are guilty—let us fall upon the mercy of the court. We will find that all because of Calvary, God will justify us and yet remain just. God declares that we are just! That means our past is atoned for and our future is assured. By a judicial decree of God, we stand in the righteousness of Christ! Hallelujah, what a Savior!