Romans Week 3 | Justified by Faith

You ever notice how we all love to talk about faith — right up until it actually requires some? We want a faith that moves mountains… as long as the mountain doesn’t move our schedule. We sing, “I’ll go where You lead,” until He leads somewhere uncomfortable. It’s funny how we want faith without friction — but Paul shows us that real faith comes alive when the ground under us starts shaking.

That’s where we are in Romans. We’re in the New Testament’s longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology.  Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone.

His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in clear, accurate terms. Along the way, he addresses the tension between law and grace, Jew and Gentile, sin and righteousness — and then, as always, he closes with how this truth changes how we live.

In Romans 1, Paul confronted the obviously sinful person — the one who lives openly apart from God. We see humanity’s rebellion followed by the downward spiral.

In chapter 2, he turned his attention to the self-righteous person — the moral or religious one who thinks their goodness earns God’s favor. We used the analogy that the Law is like a mirror. It can show you the dirt on your face, but it can’t wash it off. The Gentile may not have the written Law, but his conscience still whispers God’s standards. The Jew may have the Torah, but he still breaks it. Both are guilty; both need grace.

Paul exposes hypocrisy — not to shame us, but to wake us up. Because when pride creeps in, grace gets pushed out.

And now in chapters 3 and 4, Paul says something radical: both stand guilty before a holy God, and both are justified the same way — by faith.

Romans 3 begins with a back-and-forth — a kind of question-and-answer session with an imaginary objector to what Paul’s been teaching. He quotes the Old Testament to show that no one — not even one person — deserves to be called righteous.

Finally, he drops the good news: righteousness before God doesn’t come from keeping the law — it comes through faith in Christ’s sacrifice.

Then in Romans 4, Paul points to Abraham as the proof. Abraham was declared righteous because of faith, not works — before the law even existed. God’s gift of righteousness has always been about grace received through faith.

Imagine standing before a judge, guilty of every charge. The evidence is clear. But instead of condemning you, the judge steps down, takes off his robe, and pays your fine himself. Then he looks at you and says, “You’re free to go. Your debt is paid.” That’s justification — and that’s what Paul is showing us here.

1. UNIVERSAL GUILT – NONE ARE RIGHTEOUS

(Romans 3:1–20)

Before Paul drops the hammer in verse 9, he clears the air in verses 1–8.Some folks were saying, “Wait a second, doesn’t being Jewish give us an advantage?” Paul says, “Sure — you were entrusted with God’s Word — but having the truth isn’t the same as living it.”

Others tried another angle: “If my sin shows how good God is, maybe that’s not so bad?” Paul shakes his head and says, “No way — sin never glorifies God.” He wants everyone to understand: God’s faithfulness never fails, but our failure still matters. So, when he says, “None is righteous, no, not one,” nobody can say, “But what about me?”

Romans 3:9–20 (ESV)What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Paul doesn’t sugarcoat it. He lays out the verdict: everyone is guilty. Not just “bad people.” Not just the rebellious ones. Everyone — religious and unreligious alike.

He’s building his case like a prosecutor in court.

Exhibit A: Humanity’s record.

Exhibit B: God’s Law. The evidence is overwhelming — all are under sin.

Listen again: “None is righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10)

That’s not meant to crush us — it’s meant to level us. Before the cross, there’s no pedestal, no superiority, no self-justification. We all come the same way — empty-handed, desperate for grace.

Remember last week’s mirror analogy? Think of it again. You can look in a mirror and see the dirt on your face, but the mirror can’t clean it. The law shows the stain of sin — but it can’t wash it away.

The problem isn’t the mirror; it’s the dirt. And the solution isn’t to avoid mirrors — it’s to run to the One who can make us clean.

You know, we’re great at grading sin on a curve — usually one that makes us look like the teacher’s pet. “I might have messed up, but at least I’m not as bad as…” fill in the blank. Paul says, “Nope. Curve’s gone. Everybody failed the test.”

Application

• Stop comparing your righteousness to someone else’s. God’s measure is His holiness, not a highlight reel.

• Admit your need. Grace only enters hearts that stop pretending to be good enough.

• Let the law drive you to Christ, not to guilt. Conviction isn’t condemnation — it’s God’s invitation.

The ground is level at the foot of the cross — and that’s the best news you’ll ever hear.

2. JUSTIFICATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

(Romans 3:21–31)

After dropping the verdict that “none is righteous,” Paul pivots with two words that change everything:

“But now…”

Those might be the most hopeful words in the Bible.

Romans 3:21–26 (ESV)But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. 

Paul is saying: What the law couldn’t do, God did. What sin ruined, grace restored. What we couldn’t earn, Christ freely gave.

This is the turning point of Romans — and really, the whole gospel. Righteousness isn’t something we achieve; it’s something we receive.

Romans 3:27–31 (ESV)Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 

Justification means to be declared righteous, not made righteous by behavior.

It’s a legal verdict — God slams the gavel and says, “Not guilty.”Not because you proved your case, but because Jesus took your penalty.

That’s justification — grace at work through faith.

Application

• Stop striving to earn what’s already been given. Grace isn’t a paycheck — it’s a gift.

• Let gratitude replace guilt. You don’t serve God to earn His love; you serve because you already have it.

• When you mess up — run toward Him, not from Him. 

God doesn’t love you because you’re good; He makes you good because He loves you.

3. ABRAHAM AS THE MODEL OF FAITH

(Romans 4)

Paul now gives us a living illustration — a real person whose story proves everything he’s been teaching. When he says we’re justified by faith, not by works, he doesn’t pick a random example. He chooses Abraham — the father of the faith, the one every Jew looked up to as the example of righteousness.

Romans 4:1–3 (ESV)What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

Paul is reminding them — and us — that Abraham’s right standing with God didn’t come from what he did, but from who he trusted. Long before the law existed, before there was circumcision, before there were sacrifices, Abraham believed. And that faith was credited to him as righteousness.

Romans 4:4–5 (ESV) Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.

Faith isn’t wishful thinking; it’s confident trust in the character of God. It’s believing that God will do what He said, even when every circumstance screams the opposite.

Romans 4:20–22 (ESV)No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”

Imagine Abraham out under the stars — an old man, standing in the desert night. God says, “Count them if you can — that’s how many descendants you’ll have.” And Abraham doesn’t laugh. He believes. He can’t see the outcome, but he trusts the One who made the promise. That’s faith.

Application

• Faith means trusting God’s promise when logic says otherwise.

• Like Abraham, let your faith lead to obedience — belief that moves your feet.

• Don’t wait to have it all figured out. Faith isn’t about perfect understanding; it’s about perfect trust.

Jerry’s Jam: Faith doesn’t make life easy — it makes it possible.

GOSPEL CONNECTION

Romans 4:23–25 (ESV) But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

The same faith that made Abraham righteous makes us righteous today — not because our faith is strong, but because our Savior is faithful.

At the cross, Jesus was delivered up for our sins, and at the resurrection, He was raised for our justification.

Abraham’s faith looked toward a coming Redeemer. Our faith rests in a risen one.

The faith that saved Abraham still saves today — because the God who promised hasn’t changed.

CONCLUSION

Romans 3 and 4 remind us of three unshakable truths:

1. We are all guilty. The law exposes our sin and shows us our need for a Savior.

2. We are justified by grace through faith in Jesus. It’s not about how hard you try; it’s about who you trust.

3. We are called to live by that same faith — like Abraham. Faith that waits, believes, obeys, and endures.

The gospel levels us all to lift us all —so no one can boast, and everyone can rejoice in the righteousness of Christ.

Faith has always been the bridge between God’s promise and our peace. When we trust Him, even in the dark, He counts that trust as righteousness — and He walks with us every step of the way.