Romans 3:22-24 : Even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that be-lieve; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:21-24 connects closely with Romans 1:16-17. This righteousness which is apart from the law is attained through faith in Jesus Christ; and it is for all who believe, for there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. All, both Jew and Gentile, need this gospel salvation; for all have sinned--all have come short of the glory of God. This salvation for all was according to God's plan and purpose. No Distinction.--God had chosen Abraham and his seed for a special purpose. The Jews had failed to grasp God's purpose; they thought of Jehovah as their God, and no one else's. In their thinking he was a tribal, or national, God. It took a special miracle to convince Peter that Jehovah was the God of any but the Jews. To correct this deep-seated idea among the Jews, Paul frequently reminded the Jewish Christians that now there was no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. Some of the Jewish Christians never did get over that tribal idea, and drifted into a sect known as Ebionites. It is a pity that some brethren of late years have revived, slightly modified, perhaps, the Jew-ish idea that Jehovah is the Jew's national God. Let us read Romans 3:21-24, leaving out an apparent parenthetical expression: "But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, be-ing witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ un-to all them that believe; . . . being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." To justify a person is to declare him free from guilt Law cannot declare a person just, or free from guilt, if he had violated it in only one point. Justification by law was impossible, for all sinned. But apart from the law, a plan of righteousness had been revealed. The apostle tells us that this justification is free; and he further emphasizes the fact that it is free by adding that it is by grace. It is bestowed gratuitously. It is not arrived at by merit, but comes by grace. And it is by faith. By the term "faith" Paul means all that is implied in accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior, Prophet, Priest, and King. This will later be discussed more fully. The justification that is offered apart from the law is also through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, or by Christ Jesus. It is by what he did that we have redemption. SOME TERMS DEFINED Just here it might be well to study some words Paul uses. It stands to reason that no one can understand a passage of Scripture unless he understands the words of the passage. In studying these words we shall consider only those meanings that relate to the salvation of sinners. Justify--To justify a person is to pronounce him just, or righteous; to declare him not guilty. Of course, if a person kept the law perfectly, he would be justified; he would be declared not guilty. If God forgives a sinner, there is then nothing against him. He is free from guilt--he is as righteous as if he had never sinned. Grace--Grace is favor. It is a benefit bestowed without pay--the gratuitous bestowal of a thing that a person needs. The sinner needs forgiveness needs to be righteous. Only through God's grace is it possible for a sinner to be forgiven, or to be justified. No matter how many things he may be required to do as conditions of forgiveness, it does not destroy the fact that, on God's part, his forgiveness and justification are wholly of grace. No amount of works will destroy the fact that forgiveness is by grace. Redeemer--A redeemer is one who rescues another from bondage, or liberates another from any condition wherein he is held. Jesus redeems us from the bond-age of sin and from the power of the devil. He is our only Redeemer. Ransom--Ransom is the price for redeeming. Jesus came "to give his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45). Hence, he became that which is given in exchange for another as the price of his redemption (1 Timothy 2:6). "Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6). "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14). Redemption--Redemption is the act of redeeming. Christ is called "redemption," because the whole process of redemption is centered in him (1 Corinthians 1:30). Jesus is our Redeemer no one else can rescue us from the bondage of sin. He is also our Ransom, for he was the price paid for our redemption. And in him God graciously provided a means by which sinners can be justified.