Today we continue reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans. Today’s passage is the key passage in all of Romans. Paul declares, “[All] are justified freely by his [God’s] grace through redemption in Christ Jesus.” Paul first sums up the first part of Romans (1:18-3:20) by declaring all are sinners and then declares that all are now justified or forgiven:
“For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (3:22-23)
“[All] are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as an expiation…by his Blood…” (3:24-25)
Paul follows the teaching of Jesus that God is prodigal or wasteful in his mercy, that God is rich in mercy. Even though “all have sinned” God forgives their sins. This forgiveness is not earned but is a gift or grace. When Paul says that sinners are justified, he means that God has declared them just or innocent and transformed them from sinners to saints. They have been recreated. Paul further states that they now have “redemption in Christ Jesus.” To be redeemed means to be freed from slavery. Paul views Sin as a power that can become lord over us and enslave us. When we are redeemed, freed from this power of Sin, we are truly free to do what we want to do in our heart of hearts, the Will of God, who is our true Lord. This forgiveness or redemption is a gift from God that we can either accept or reject. We signal our acceptance by our obedience, our faith or trust in God and God’s way.
Paul draws the conclusion that all boasting is excluded since we do not and cannot earn this forgiveness, it is grace or gift:
“What occasion is there then for boasting? It is ruled out. On what principle, that of works? No, rather on the principle of faith. For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”
While this is a very rich and complicated passage, it is well worth reading and praying over. The heart of Jesus’ message that Paul puts into his own theological categories is that God is a God of love who wants each of us not only to be touched by his love but to be overwhelmed by his love. It is this divine love given to us that challenges and empowers us to love one another.
Image: https://picryl.com/media/el-greco-apostle-st-paul-wga10603-e1bcf2; PDM 1.0 DEED.