KJV Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” Romans 3:24
NASB Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” Romans 3:24
Someone has written that the most important paragraph ever written in all of history is Romans 3:21-26. Certainly, the impact this paragraph has on our eternal welfare cannot be measured. Its truth is life-changing and eternity-determining! But I would contend, as well, that the sentence listed above, taken from that paragraph, is the most amazing sentence ever written. You might counter with John 3:16 or some other, but it is difficult to dispute this soul-thrilling and amazing sentence in light of the volume of truth it contains.
It highlights at least four incredible Gospel truths in its short compass of fourteen words. These include the words freely, justified, grace, and redemption. The proportion of truth packed into four out of fourteen words is worth noting. God can say so much in so few words. Take any one of these words and think of the implications, or rather think of what their absence would have meant.
Consider the wonder of justification. God has accomplished it without any compromise to His character, without any cost to us. There are no conditions or strings attached to His justification. And the chains of slavery have been released and gone forever. In the next chapter, we can read how that God is able to justify the ungodly (Rom 4:5), something that was forbidden in the Old Testament. ( Ex 23:7; Prov 17:15; Isa 5:23). God has literally done the impossible.
It is often pointed out that the word “freely” occurs also in John 15:25, where it is translated as “without a cause.” In this manner, the Spirit of God is driving home a point of great importance. There was as much reason for men to hate Christ as there was for God to justify us. The reason men hated Christ was not found in Christ; it was found in our hearts. The reason for God to justify us was not found in us but in His heart, the fathomless heart of God. God absorbed the cost of our salvation that He might give it without cost to us.
The grace of God is spoken of as a gift (Rom 5:15), abundant (5:17), abounding (5:20), reigning (5:21); in Ephesians, we have the glory of His grace (1:6), the riches of His grace (1:7) and then the exceeding riches of His grace (2:7). The “grace of God” is a thrilling subject to trace, even if you confined yourself to the epistle to the Romans. We live in an age where grace is reigning, enshrined in the heart of God, as He is sitting on His throne. All His ways toward us are marked by His grace. We live in the most privileged dispensation that ever has been.
Consider:
Trace some of the other words in the paragraph, such as propitiation, faith, and His blood and consider the depth of truth involved in this paragraph.
