#88. Romans 3:22 – And on All (Justification Series, Part XI)

Part III: Our Justification, Confirmed

Yet now, apart from law, a righteousness of God is manifest (being attested by the law and the prophets), yet a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ’s faith, for all, and on all who are believing…

Both eis and epi treat both uses of “all” as effectual, not causal.

We are found in the “all,” and are therefore the recipients of God’s own action. Any “believing” that we do, then, is not centered upon our actions, events in our lives, or holiness on our part. Often, Christendom will make claims such as, “I am doing and believing all that I do because I want to show my thankfulness for what He did!” As sincere as this may sound, those that make this claim will simultaneously diminish His work by making that “doing” or “believing” the barrier to entry into salvation. These often promote a boast in their action by making their actions as foundational as His. To do this promotes human efforts into salvation, and is expressly denounced by Paul (Rom. 3:20, 27, Gal. 2:16.)

God is calling us out, of His own volition, qualifying us by a measure of His faith, bringing His values to our lives, on His terms. If we are justified, it is not because we believe. It is proof of God’s righteousness, and Christ’s belief. Our belief is evidence to the matter of justification (out of faith, for faith,) but it is not the premise to justification. Evidence is not the premise of an argument, but proof to the quality of the premise. 

Our belief is the means of God’s conveyance. He is showing all what He has gained for all. This dynamic is not yet understood by the masses, and its lack of recognition enables much of the global drama which unfolds today. This is only for believers at present to recognize; that justification is God’s long-term goal with all mankind. This method will pay off when the blessings God has lavished upon believers (given in Paul’s subsequent work) is fully displayed for all to see (the “riches of His grace,” Eph. 2:7.)

On Believing

Now, in the present, as we are recognizing what God has said, we are justified. Righteousness has been accounted to us on this premise. This will be demonstrated conceptually in 3:24-26, and illustrated practically in chapter 4. The preposition epi, “on,” is a locative connective. Its force with the accusative form of “all” shows us that Jesus Christ’s faith is now located in the direct object, “all,” who are believing (present tense.)

We found this term earlier in Romans 1:18, though I glossed over it. “God’s indignation is being revealed from heaven on all the irreverence and injustice of man.” God expresses His indignation against these by giving men over into the desires of their hearts, dishonorable emotions, and a disqualified mind.

In Romans 3:22, the perspective has shifted. Now “God’s righteousness is manifest through Jesus Christ’s faith on all who are believing.” God expresses His righteousness in Jesus by giving men over to Jesus’ same belief. Through this, God will share the desires of His heart, His honorable emotions, His qualified mind. You are accounted to these just qualities as well, in undeserved favor (grace.)

Many often ask, “If God’s righteousness is destined to reach all, so that all are saved, then what is so special about becoming a believer now? Why can’t I discard all that you have said as a non-sequitur, if God has a controlled plan for every last one of us?” This question will be repeatedly posed throughout this series in conjunction with its answer in Romans. One may as well be asking, “What, then, is the benefit of the human action?” If this question is withheld until Paul’s argument is complete, it will be clearly seen that there is no real room for it, or need, where God explains it.

For now, we will say this: such a question can only be asked with a view to argue the opposite. It must be the case that God is not solely concerned with believers, since all have sinned, and all are unjust. To merit salvation based on belief adds a contingency to the message that God simply has not given. Believers will indeed partake of special blessing – which is why they are specially distinguished in this clause. But the notion that believers serve as God’s elite, on which God begins a new war against the unrighteous, is a perversely human notion which bars Christ from receiving the “all” that He so deserves.

Therefore, believers are referenced twice: once as a part of the “for all,” since all are destined to obtain this righteousness. Yet we are called specifically in the “on all,” since we receive various benefits now which will further enable God to achieve His goal “for all” (1 Tim. 2:4.) These benefits, for the eons to come (Rom. 5:21,) are entirely due to the operation of God’s righteousness, which demands both a judgment and a salvation. It is no surprise, then, that believers will play a large role in effecting both of these operations (1 Cor. 6:2, Col. 1:18-20, Phil. 2:13, Eph. 2:10.) As with the Jews in the Old Testament, for which they faced their greatest battles with pride and haughtiness, we too must realize that belief is not a matter of you choosing when or where to give yourself to God. It is proof, rather, that God has given Himself to you, though you least deserve it, being a part of the whole, sinful human race.

1 Timothy 4:10

Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all welcome; for for this are we toiling and being reproached: that we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers. These things be charging and teaching.

This is a parallel passage to our present discussion. It appears late in 1 Timothy, and as such will be supportive for a long while until we get to it. Though no commentary is yet written on it, please note that one does not truly need commentary to apprehend such a plain declaration. The context insists that this is a faithful saying. The context further insists that, to proclaim this earnestly will invite reproach from the faithless. Yet the fact remains:

God calls Himself the Saviour of all mankind.

This is not a secret code. There is no contingency on display, as one has discerned the righteousness and love of God in great detail if they are reading all prior epistles carefully – especially that of Romans 3:22.

Where God calls Himself the Saviour of all mankind, Paul writes that Jesus Christ’s faith, in measure, is for all. Where God calls Himself especially the Saviour of believers, Paul writes that Jesus Christ’s faith, in measure, is presently on all who are believing. In both cases, God and His qualities are the beginning of the sentence. He justifies, He conciliates, He draws in, and He vivifies (or, gives life beyond the reach of death; see Rom. 8:10-11.) It is, then, entirely up to Him to save, on His terms, at His necessary times.

Why Not Now?

Well sure, why not now? How easy it should be, then, for God to plant belief in all!

To answer this question, many more details throughout Paul’s argument in Romans is necessary. It does not hurt to see the patterns in Old Testament history as well, though this would be a longer conversation. In short, there are many examples in which God immediately handled evil via judgment and salvation. While this worked as an immediate demonstration of God’s righteousness concerning a given matter, it did not work as a lasting impression of God’s righteousness, for God’s action in the Old Testament did not comprehensively save all mankind and all its progeny.

Why? It was necessary, first, to prove what a detective would call “exhaustion.” The Israelites must first be logically shown, under increasingly favorable conditions, that they were unable to effect the righteous option of their own volition. It must be seen that man, when left to their own devices under sin, must be saved from their present master, being sin itself. No action in the Old Testament has actually occurred to save men from their underlying problem: death. It was not until this argument could be proven (and thus pre-supposed at the outset of Romans,) that the Christ could be sent as the only necessary conclusion. Only the Image of righteousness could resolve the depth and complexity of this issue.

Notice that the Hebrew scriptures provide the questions that Paul inevitably answers. Whereas the Ecclesiastes writer claims, “Vanity! Vanity! The whole is vanity!” Paul responds with the purpose for the vanity (Rom. 1:18-3:20, 8:20-21.) Whereas the Psalmist cries, “For what futility have You created all the sons of humanity?” (Ps. 89:47,) Paul replies with many answers: “Jesus Christ’s faith is for all,” (Rom. 3:22,) that “every knee should be bowing, celestial, terrestrial, or subterranean, and every tongue should be acclaiming that ‘Jesus Christ is Lord,’ for the glory of God, the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11.)

We receive the answer, then, to the purpose of creation in Paul’s letters. Indeed, Paul is the only New Testament writer who attests to the “purpose of God” (Rom. 8:28, 9:11, Eph. 1:11, 3:11, 2 Tim. 1:9.) Before this, such revelations were speculatory and all around unknown to all. Paul’s grand, sweeping declaration concerning the destiny of Christ’s faith being for all now clarifies and contextualizes God’s agenda, moving forward. That all will inevitably partake of belief, and thus be brought out of sin’s clutches, brings about a need for believers as a demonstration of God’s righteousness prior to its impartation upon all. Even as the Jew is imparted blessings for the welfare of all nations, on a terrestrial scale, so also the believer is imparting blessings for the welfare of all mankind, and, through later unfoldings in Ephesians, it will be seen that the scale of these blessings are universal.

A Solid Foundation

Thus we have seen the six primary characteristics of righteousness. As a review, these include:

1.    The quality of this righteousness: apart from law

2.    The source of this righteousness: of God

3.    The timing of this righteousness: manifest

4.    The relation of this righteousness: attested by the law and the prophets

5.    The means of conveying this righteousness: through Jesus Christ’s faith

6.    The destination of this righteousness: for all and on all who are believing

Paul does not begin his solution with the fact of our justification. He does not even begin with a revelation of God’s grace. He begins with the basis for our justification, through divine act, and not human action. Only the faith-obedience of Jesus Christ has enabled the justification of the unjust. This is God’s just response to the problem of sin: to free the victim from it. If the victim does not wish to be freed, proof of sin and the necessity for God’s salvation is proven all the more.

To believe this message is, then, the best circumstance for any individual today to face. No matter how one’s immediate surroundings or struggles may appear, the prerogative of God under the premises of human inability and divine ability, is to free the sinner from Sin herself, and restore their conditions into that of blissful tranquility, with a newfound understanding of the contrast between an unjust lord, and the Just Lord.

The Just Lord, meanwhile, must not rest until the effects of evil have been thoroughly demonstrated, where Sin can then be repudiated, and the abused brought out of her clutches. Where would be a better place for all creation to end up, than with the Just Lord, having been matured, brought out of their sins, and filled with a loving disposition? This One will not rest until every sinful matter has been corrected, and every sinner has been restored, justified, conciliated, and reconciled to Him. His faith demands of God that He receive the all that He died for, and then some. And far be it from men, in stupidity, to somehow have the true ability to reject Christ of His prize. Moreover, far be it from God, in unrighteousness, to dare not fulfill His promise to His Son, and properly compensate Him for His righteous act.

- GerudoKing