Paul’s indictment against mankind is in and of itself insufficient to bring forth the full adjudication of the God’s case against sin just as a criminal trial does not stop with the formal indictment but continues until either guilt is established and justice served or the accused is found not guilty of all counts. The second section of the book of Romans follows a similar pattern as the Apostle now moves to enact the full adjudication of God’s case against sinful man. Since Paul has just previously made clear the condemnation that sinful man lies under, he now turns toward the means of pardon that all men must be granted to avoid the full weight of God’s divine judgment. Paul does this through six major themes starting with sinful man’s acquisition of righteousness through faith and ending with the resulting slavery to righteousness. These themes are not simply a rhetorical argument but are rather the formulation of the doctrine of salvation.
Righteousness Through Faith
As a matter of first principle, Paul brings to bear the cornerstone of one’s right standing before God as he asserts that it is only through faith that one is found righteous before God. Human merit is of no value. Human systems of religion are of no value; only in the imputed righteousness granted by God as evidence in genuine faith can anyone stand rightfully before a holy God. Paul speaks specifically that the righteousness of God has been made manifest apart from the normal expressions under the Law. All men stand condemned under the Law for their transgressions but all men maybe saved through belief (πιστεύοντας). Paul’s use of the present active participle of “trust” indicates that righteousness of Christ literally “communicated” from God onto the believer is the ontological necessity that must occur before anything dealing with salvation can or may be accomplished. This transaction can only be brought about by the miraculous activity of God as God declares the sinner justified (δικαιούμενοι, present passive participle) and releases the sinner from his rightful condemnation under the Law. The instrument of this justification process is found only within the blood of Christ as the second Person of the Godhead literally shed His own blood, in keeping with the Old Testament sacrificial system, to stem the tide of God’s wrath upon sin and iniquity. The work of Christ is the unalterable standard by which one is found wanting or receiving of genuine faith so as to be saved and thereby demonstrate the graciousness of God to justify those who cannot justify themselves. But one will certainly ask, “Does not the individual participate in his own salvation?” No, not at the point of justification. If the individual must participate, then how does anyone come into possession of the necessary faith after being condemned under such a heavy indictment of the Law? Can possession of the Law save? Or are those who have never heard of the Law hopelessly lost in their ignorance? It is by the law of faith that is pictured in the Law proper that points the sinner to the necessity of faith but it is the instrumentality of God that makes all of the Law and faith operative.
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