Romans 3 Footnotes

3:10-18 That no one is righteous indicates human inability to secure salvation apart from God’s provision. This does not mean that people are as bad as they can be, or that they cannot do good things from a human perspective. However, with regard to eternal salvation, their situation is hopeless so long as they are left to themselves. God’s initiating grace must come first. Righteousness must come from God (vv. 21-22).

3:25 In Eden God threatened death as punishment for disobedience and sin (Gn 2:17). In the fall Adam and Eve died spiritually, being separated from God and subject to sin and death even though they did not immediately die physically. Implementing his plan to redeem his lost creatures, God sought out those who obediently trusted him (e.g., Abel, Gn 4:4; Enoch, Gn 5:24; Noah, Gn 6:9; Abram, Gn 15:6; and their spiritual successors). Though they were sinners, God spared them from eternal damnation, the just punishment for their sin. Paul explained God’s justice in passing over these sins: in due time, Christ would die in their place (Rm 5:6). Christ’s death covers the sins of all believers living during, prior to, and subsequent to his atoning death.

But what kind of Father sends his Son to such a horrific death to satisfy his own sense of justice? First, Jesus voluntarily gave his life (Jn 10:14-18). So this was the eternally agreed-upon plan of Father, Son, and Spirit. Second, the triune God—not just the Son—is involved in this world’s suffering. The Father and Spirit were not detached observers but were intimately involved with the Son’s suffering on the cross. Third, consider God’s holiness and sin’s offensiveness to such a perfect, unsullied, personal Being. Sin elicits his just, wrathful response—the removal of all traces of both sin and sinner. Fourth, God has limitless love for his human creatures made in his own image. Though he could justly write humans off forever, in love God acted to save those who trust in him. So while his holiness required the just payment of death for sinners, in love he paid the penalty himself in the person of his only Son.