(NKJV) Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
But now, is a transitional phrase implying that something has changed, something is different, you need to pay close attention to what that something is and how it is different.
The something that is the subject of the but now here is; “the righteousness of God”
Interestingly it is not the righteousness of God that has changed though. The thing that has changed concerning the righteousness of God is how it is now revealed. You see at one time there was a particular way in which it was revealed, it was through the Law.
The Law showed us how different God is from man. It demonstrated His absolute holiness, and it showed us that God is righteous. The Law revealed the great divide between us and the Father and through it we realized His righteousness was unattainable due to the weakness of our human flesh. Even the ones most devoted to the Law needed a sacrifice to be made on their behalf on the Day of Atonement. Even the man God used to give the Law (Moses) had to be covered on the Day of Atonement by means of a sacrifice.
The sacrifice offered each year on the Day of Atonement and other sacrifices and offerings and special observances throughout the year were the proof that, man in comparison with God as it pertained to righteousness, came up short. This reality was made possible through the gift of the Moral Law we refer to as the Ten Commandments. The prophets clearly understood this as is revealed by the Prophet Isaiah.
(NKJV) Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
But here the Scripture clearly says the way in which the righteousness of God is revealed has changed. Somehow the righteousness of God is being revealed without the Law and it is being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. What could this mean?
In Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9 we read where Jesus took some witnesses with Him up to a mountain to pray.
(NKJV) Matthew 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
This is referred to as the Mount of Transfiguration. On this Mount Jesus was glorified. This is strangely similar to another man in Scripture went up a mountain with witnesses and while there had a glory experience.
(NKJV) Exodus 24:13 So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.
(NKJV) Exodus 24:15 Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain.
Why did Moses go up that mountain? God told him to in order to receive the Covenant of the Law to give to the people. And when Moses came down he put a veil over his face. In another place of Scripture we discover something about the ministry Moses received to give to the people and how it was glorious but it is compared to another ministry that has greater glory.
(NKJV) 2Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
The issue is about the glory that accompanied the Covenant Moses was given and the Covenant Jesus was given. There was such a glory on the Covenant that was revealed through Moses that he had to cover his face.
Like this event where Moses went up the mountain to receive the Covenant and others witnessed the glory from it, Christ is transfigured (meaning His very form changed) His face shone like the sun and His clothes were as white as the light. Jesus is there regarding the Covenant and how it is to be delivered to the people. But in the case of Christ there is no fading to His glory.
Keep in mind that the Covenant at Mount Sinai was between God and the people. It was between the divine and the fallen, the infinite and the finite, the living God and the people dead in their sins and trespasses.
The Law was dependent upon human effort because man had his end to keep in that Covenant. Israel declared we will do all that God commands. But even though they would fail to meet the standard of righteousness revealed, God was using it to reveal His own righteousness nonetheless. It was the prevailing means of revealing the righteousness of God to man. But remember our text?
(NKJV) Romans 3:21 “But now the righteousness of God is revealed apart from the Law being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.”
What does the mount of transfiguration have to do with this? To answer that we read further in Matthew.
(NKJV) Matthew 17:3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
Moses represents the Law since the Law came through Moses and Elijah represents the Prophets since he was declared to be the one who would precede the coming of the Messiah.
There is a witness of the Law and the Prophets occurring regarding the righteousness of God on this mount and it is signified by a glory that is eternal in nature since this New Covenant would be made by God the
Father with Himself (Christ the Son). Fallen man is not made a responsible party in the agreement of this Covenant so God as a man makes it on our behalf.
While Jesus is standing there with the Law and the Prophets (Moses and Elijah) the righteousness of God is revealed in Him and witnessed to by them. Jesus was and is the very righteousness of God! But more took place than just the witness by the Law and Prophets, they had something to say to Jesus regarding what would be required of Him.
What did the Law and the Prophets on that Mount speak with Jesus about?
To answer that question we turn to Luke’s account of the Transfiguration in:
(NKJV) Luke 9:30 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
This is about what it will cost Jesus to redeem us. Jesus will establish His New Covenant with blood just as Moses did except, in this New Covenant the blood will be Jesus’ own. Moses went up the mountain to get the covenant for Israel and it was set in place by the sprinkling of blood, Jesus went up the mountain to get the
New Covenant and established it with His own blood. The discussion that takes place between Moses, Elijah and Jesus involved a declaration of what will be required to fulfill the righteous demands of the Law and forever satisfy the wrath of God against sin. It will involve Jesus death on the cross. He would take our place although He is not deserving of death or punishment seeing He was without sin.
In view of the cross of Christ we give Jesus our sin (Disobedience) and He gives us God’s own righteousness (His obedience.) It is no ordinary righteousness we have been given in Christ. It comes at great expense to Jesus and to the Father that this righteousness is even made possible.
When someone wishes to take some of the credit for righteousness or seeks to establish it on their own as though it is attainable by a great effort on part towards obedience, it diminishes the great length and tremendous price Jesus paid to make our salvation possible.
If the righteousness spoken of could have been purchased at man’s expense, it would not even come close to the majesty and measure of God’s own righteousness. God’s Holiness as it pertained to the Law of His righteousness could not be satisfied by the weak and beggarly elements of human effort.
How do we know what is involved, how it is received, who is responsible to make it possible, who it is for, and whether or not there are exceptions?
(NKJV) Romans 3:22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
What righteousness is this about? “Even the righteousness of God.”
How is it received? Through faith.”
Who is responsible to make it possible? “Christ Jesus.”
Who is it for? To all and on all who believe.”
Is there any exceptions? “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
God is righteous and He has shared His righteousness with those who believe in Jesus Christ.
So how can we be legally declared righteous before God and never brought before the judge on these charges again?
(NKJV) Romans 3:24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Justified is a legal term. It is when a judge declares you acquitted of all charges against you.
It is when He declares, “not guilty.” We were given a court appointed advocate at no charge to us.
But here is the reality. We are guilty of violating the Law. As a result we are counseled to plead guilty in humility before the judge! So if we are so guilty and we are pleading guilty, how then are we declared not guilty?
Well our advocate takes care of this at His expense. You see the Advocate we were assigned has favor with the judge because the judge is His Father and our advocate graciously takes our place so we can stand in His favor even though we do not deserve it. This is what is called mercy (undeserved kindness.)
How did He achieve this? He paid our death penalty for us. That is what the word redemption means. It means to pay the purchase price.
What was the price? The price was death through suffering involving the shedding of blood.
(NKJV) 1Peter 1:18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Our advocate said I will be guilty in their place and I will take their punishment. “In Christ” we are justified freely by His grace.
Why would He do such a thing?
(NKJV) Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Our salvation came at great cost to Christ. It is a glorious salvation! The covenant He has established through His blood is more glorious than any covenant ever made.
Unlike the elder brother in the prodigal son story who never went after the younger brother when he left home and lived recklessly, Jesus our elder brother left the glory of heaven to seek us out and bring us home to the Father. Our elder brother actually loves us and cares for us!
Unlike the elder brother in that story who was angry over the fact that part of his inheritance was being used to welcome the lost younger son home, Jesus our elder brother gladly makes us joint heirs with Him!
(NLT) Romans 8:16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
What a glorious salvation is ours through faith in Jesus Christ!! What a glorious reality of life!! What amazing blessing and benefit belongs to us as a result of His obedience!!
Do you really understand that you are accepted in the Beloved through Christ? Do you really comprehend the amazing love that is now yours to be realized in Christ?
God’s righteousness has been revealed now through Christ and made available through Christ!
(NKJV) 2Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
What kind of response should this understanding and revelation spark in us?
(NLT) Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice — the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
The way to love has been opened up before us. A deposit of righteousness eternally glorious and mighty has been imputed to us in Christ!
We love Him because He first loved us.
The key to genuine spiritual growth is not a greater acquaintance with myself, my contributions, but rather it is realized when I ponder the great gift of God’s Son and through the power and work of the Holy Spirit my heart is awakened to the truth of His love and great sacrifice to redeem us all.
So I close by simply quoting,
(NLT) Romans 8:31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one — for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one — for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.’’) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow — not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below — indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
