In the book of Romans, Paul emphasizes that justification comes through faith, not the Law. He explains that everyone is under sin and has fallen short of GOD’s glory, yet justification is available to all through faith in Jesus. GOD provided a way for righteousness apart from the Law, which is good news because humanity could not achieve righteousness through the Law alone.
God sent His Son as a propitiation to satisfy His wrath. Sin demands punishment, and the just response for sin is death. Since all have sinned, the rightful consequence for everyone is death. Jesus took this punishment upon Himself, pacifying GOD’s wrath and ensuring sin did not go unpunished. Through this, GOD remained both just and the justifier.
This resolves the question of GOD’s consistency: if the penalty for sin is death, how can He justify sinners and declare them not guilty? The answer lies in Jesus, who bore humanity’s sin—past, present, and future. Because of this, we can be declared righteous and justified by GOD.
“For he hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2nd Corinthians 5:21)
(1st Peter 2:21-25)
Paul follows Romans 3:21-26 by asking, “Where then is boasting?”
The answer: “It is excluded.”
“By what law? Of works?”
The answer: “Not by works, but by the law of faith.”
There is no room for boasting because, without Jesus, we would face God’s wrath. God is a just God, and if Jesus had not taken our sins upon Himself, we would be punished for them. Justification through law-keeping was impossible, as it required perfect adherence to all the Law without failing in any part (James 2:10). No one was ever able to keep the entire Law, so humanity could never be righteous, no matter how close to perfection one might consider themselves.
There is no room for boasting through works, as no amount of good deeds can justify us. Paul emphasizes that boasting is excluded by the law of faith. This is because Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, was offered as a propitiation to appease God’s wrath toward sin through the shedding of His blood—a gift of grace. In V24, Paul explains that this justification was freely given by His grace through the redemption found in Christ Jesus. Boasting in one’s own merits is irrelevant when receiving a gift, as a gift cannot be earned.
We certainly may boast about the gift and the wonderful privilege that it provides us with. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…” 1st John 3:1
This is not boasting in the sense of “I have it and you don’t.” If we boast in that way, then our boasting is evil—indeed, all such boasting is evil. Boasting about the gift, however, is entirely different. To boast about what the gift provides is to preach the Gospel and proclaim the good news of justification apart from the Law, a message meant for everyone. Justification apart from the Law “… (is) through faith in Jesus Christ, (it is) to all and on all who believe.” Romans 3:22
The gift of justification apart from Law through faith in Christ Jesus is a gift for all… “… there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.” Romans 3:30
Making Him not only God of the Jews but also God of the Gentiles. This does not nullify or discredit the Law; rather, justification by faith upholds and establishes the Law. (Galatians 3:21-25)
Prospering Pathway 
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