Romans 3:21-27

righteousness of God

The righteousness of God is neither an attribute of God, not the changed character of the believer, but Christ Himself, who fully met in our stead and behalf every demand of the law, and who is, but the act of God called imputation Leviticus 25:50; James 2:23, "made unto us.. righteousness" 1 Corinthians 1:30.

"The believer in Christ is now, by grace, shrouded under so complete and blessed a righteousness that the law from Mt. Sinai can find neither fault nor diminution therein. This is that which is called the righteousness of God by faith."--Bunyan.

2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 4:6; 10:4; Philippians 3:9; Romans 3:26
sinned

Sin, Summary: The literal meanings of the Heb. and (Greek - ἀλεκτοροφωνία sin," "sinner," etc)., disclose the true nature of sin in its manifold manifestations. Sin is transgression, an overstepping of the law, the divine boundary between good and evil Psalms 51:1; Luke 15:29, iniquity, an act inherently wrong, whether expressly forbidden or not; error, a departure from right ; Psalms 51:9; Romans 3:23, missing the mark, a failure to meet the divine standard; trespass, the intrusion of self-will into the sphere of divine authority Ephesians 2:1, lawlessness, or spiritual anarchy 1 Timothy 1:9, unbelief, or an insult to the divine veracity John 16:9.

Sin originated with Satan Isaiah 14:12-14, entered the world through Adam Romans 5:12, was, and is, universal, Christ alone excepted ; Romans 3:23; 1 Peter 2:22, incurs the penalties of spiritual and physical death ; Genesis 2:17; 3:19; Ezekiel 18:4,20; Romans 6:23 and has no remedy but in the sacrificial death of Christ ; Hebrews 9:26; Acts 4:12 availed of by faith Acts 13:38,39. Sin may be summarized as threefold: An act, the violation of, or want of obedience to the revealed will of God; a state, absence of righteousness; a nature, enmity toward God.
Redemption

Redemption, "to deliver by paying a price." The N.T. doctrine. The N.T. records the fulfilment of the O.T. types and prophecies of redemption through the sacrifice of Christ. The completed truth is set forth in the three words which are translated redemption

(See Scofield "Isaiah 59:20"). See Scofield "Romans 1:16".

grace Grace (in salvation), Romans 4:4-16; 3:24. (See Scofield "John 1:17").
propitiation

Lit. a propitiatory sacrifice, through faith by his blood; (Greek - ἱλαστήριον, "place of propitiation)." The word occurs, 1 John 2:2; 4:10 as the trans. of hilasmos, "that which propitiates," "a propitiatory sacrifice." Hilasterion is used by the Septuagint, and Hebrews 9:5 for "mercy-seat." The mercy-seat was sprinkled with atoning blood in the day of atonement Leviticus 16:14 in token that the righteous sentence of the law had been (typically) carried out, so that what must else have been a judgment-seat could righteously be a mercy-seat ; Hebrews 9:11-15; 4:14-16, a place of communion Exodus 25:21,22.

In fulfilment of the type, Christ is Himself the hilasmos, "that which propitiates," and the hilasterion, "the place of propitiation" --the mercy-seat sprinkled with His own blood-- the token that in our stead He so honoured the law by enduring its righteous sentence that God, who ever foresaw the cross, is vindicated in having "passed over" sins from Adam to Moses Romans 5:13 and the sins of believers under the old covenant (See Scofield "Exodus 29:33") and just in justifying sinners under the covenant. There is no thought in propitiation of placating a vengeful God, but of doing right by His holy law and so making it possible for Him righteously to show mercy.

remission passing over of sins done aforetime, i.e. since Adam. Cf. Hebrews 9:15.
righteousness

"His righteousness" here is God's consistency with His own law and holiness in freely justifying a sinner who believes in Christ; that is, one in whose behalf Christ has met every demand of the law Romans 10:4.
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