Explore the Bible: September 20

Saving Faith • Romans 3:21-4:25

By Laura Lee Leathers 

Somewhere along my journey as a Christ follower, in an evangelism class or a how-to-share-your-faith workshop, I was taught to use what is known as the “Roman Road.” Perhaps you were too. 

Gotquestions.org puts it this way: “The ‘Roman Road’ is a simple yet powerful method of explaining why we need salvation, how God provided salvation, how we can receive salvation, and what are the results of salvation.”

Beginning with Romans 3:23, I wrote the next verse, 6:23. I continued the sequence with Romans 5:8, 10:13, and concluded with 10:9-10. Over the years, I have had the privilege and opportunity to share my faith in Christ using these verses. 

Falling Short (Rom. 3:21-26)

As we’ve already discussed, the law revealed the problem of sin, but it did not provide the one and final way to remedy it. In verse 22, Paul provides the remedy: “The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” 

“The theological term for this salvation is justification by faith. Justification is the act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner righteous in Christ on the basis of the finished work of Christ on the cross” (Wiersbe*). 

Justification is not a process; sanctification is. Wiersbe* also points out that “justification does not mean that God makes us righteous, but that He declares us righteous. . . . God puts the righteousness of Christ on our record in the place of our own sinfulness.” 

Notice the phrase, “as the mercy seat by his blood.” It’s another way of saying “propitiation” or the “sacrifice of atonement” and speaks of the sacrificial system in the Old Testament. However, the reference is also pointing out that Jesus’ sacrifice, His shed blood, made Him the mercy seat. He atoned for our sins once and for all (see Hebrews 7:27, 1 Peter 3:18, Hebrews 10:12, 14). 

Finding Hope (Rom. 3:27-31) 

Next, Paul moves into the discussion of boasting. Let’s pause here for a moment and look at a topical Bible definition of the word “boast.” From https://biblehub.com: “’Boast’ refers to speaking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one’s achievements, possessions, or abilities.” 

There is no room for spiritual arrogance from the Jew or the Gentile (v. 29-30). Paul continues to point out that everyone must accept God’s gift of salvation and put their faith in Jesus — not by works, but by faith (Eph. 2:8-9). 

The second question Paul addresses in this section concerns the need for the law. Again, the Jews viewed it as a privilege; after all, God had chosen them to be His people. On the flip side, the Gentiles saw the law as excluding them. Paul points out that the law was nullified but upheld. Look at Matthew 5:17; Jesus fulfilled the law. He paid the penalty on the cross.

Following Faith (Rom. 4:1-5)

Can you hear the Jews asking Paul, what about our forefather Abraham? Didn’t his salvation come by good works? Hadn’t his works earned him God’s favor? This might have been the opinion of the Jews, but before God, Abraham couldn’t boast about his accomplishments — “but not before God” (v. 2).  

Paul replies by quoting Genesis 15:6 (NKJV), “and he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” God’s standard, His plan, has always been “by faith.” In banking terms, to account or credit means to deposit. When we place our faith in Christ, the deposit slip reads, grace freely given. 

In the final two verses, Paul uses the example of an employer and employee. The employer doesn’t give the employee a gift for work completed; the employer owes the worker an agreed-upon wage.  

Abraham did not work for his salvation. When God told him to look at the vast number of stars and promised that his descendants would be just as numerous, Abraham believed (in Hebrew, it means “to say amen”).

Have you said, “Amen” to God’s gift of salvation?

“Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation say continually, Let God be magnified!” (Psalm 70:4 NKJV)

*Be Right, How to Be Right with God, Yourself, and Others, by Warren W. Wiersbe (1977)

Leathers is a member of First Baptist Church, Lexington.