Righteousness is discussed as an attribute of God as it describes his very essence. The first three chapters of Romans speak of God’s power, his righteousness, and his wrath. It is the state of one who is conscious and observant of that which is right. This righteousness comes from God (Rom. 3:5). This implies that there is a standard of right and wrong, and the righteous conforms to it. In the case of God, His very character provides the standard, and his law reveals it.
Consequently, his judgments are righteous and just. He is fair and impartial but will render it according to our works. In connection with His righteous judgment, we observe another word from the same family that is used in the context of God’s judgment — it is the words “justify” and “justification,” which refers to the verdict of a judge. It means to declare one righteous. Without this assessment applied to a human being, God’s righteous judgment demands their punishment because no one is without guilt. Therefore, to account one as righteous is a declaration or pronouncement of acquittal. The declaration of freedom from the highest court is not due to actual innocence. But, due to one’s faith in Christ, God will treat them as innocent, as righteous. This describes the legal standing of those who place their trust in Jesus Christ. The opposite legal standing of justification is condemnation (Romans 8:1, 32-34). In this courtroom setting, therefore, we have righteousness and the standard of righteousness being dictated by God, himself, but available to man as offer of grace but contingent on faith in His Son, whom he hung on a tree as a propitiation and atoning sacrifice for sin.
For God to be just, sin must be punished. The only sin offering that could atone for man is the offering of the sinless Son of God. Otherwise, his death would offer no substitution. If he had sinned, he would have suffered the consequences of His own sin, for the soul that sins shall die. By the same offering of Christ, God could be just in having sin punished and be the justifier of him that has faith in Christ, the Redeemer. Thus, a righteous God offers a plan (the righteousness of God) whereby sinful man can be righteous. Outside of this pronouncement, man can never be righteous. This is the content of the gospel. It reveals the righteousness of God from faith unto faith. As it is written, ‘the just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17). Alongside this righteousness is salvation and life. Romans 3:26 explains the propitiating sacrifice this way –it was to “show his righteousness…that he might himself be just, and the justifer of him that hath faith in Christ.” In His death, the righteousness of God goes forth and is made available to man.
In Romans 3:21-26, Paul returns to His theme to discuss the characteristics of God’s righteousness that has been made available to man. First, it is manifested apart from the law. Second, it is witnessed by the law and prophets. Third, it is available through faith in Christ. Fourth, the means by which it is received is the same for all who believe. Fifth, such believers are justified freely by God’s grace. Sixth, the only way God could justly offer this gift of grace (justification) is through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. The ransom price for human redemption was the blood of Jesus (1 Pet. 1:18-19). Paul sums the thought up well in 2 Corinthians 5:21. It reads, “Him who knew no sin God made to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
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