Made Right With God—Apart from the Law and Available to All Who Believe
Romans 3:21–22 (NLT)
21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
Message
In Romans 3:9–20, Paul concludes that all humanity—Jews and Gentiles alike—is under the power of sin. Scripture itself testifies that no one is righteous and no one seeks God. The Law, therefore, cannot justify anyone; it exposes sin, silences every excuse, and shows the whole world to be guilty before God. By the end of Romans 3:20, every human claim to self-righteousness is shut down—preparing the way for what God Himself now reveals.
After declaring that all people are under the power of sin and that no one can be made right with God by the law (Romans 3:9–20), Paul now turns to one of the most decisive statements in Scripture. If the Law exposes sin but cannot save, the pressing question is this: Is there any hope for humanity?
Romans 3:21–22 answers that question.
I. “But now” — A decisive turning point (21a)
See verse 21a.
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law,
Paul begins with the words, “But now,” signaling a dramatic shift. Everything before this point has revealed humanity’s guilt, silence without excuse, and inability to justify itself before God. What follows is not a human solution, but God’s intervention. Being made right with God that humanity lacks is now revealed by God Himself.
Being made right with God is not achieved by keeping the law. That does not mean the Law was wrong or useless. The Law shows what being made right with God looks like (Romans 3:20), but it does not provide the power to attain it (Romans 8:3-4).
II. Promised in the Writings of Moses and the Prophets (21b)
See verse 21b.
as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.
Although this being made right with God is not achieved by keeping the law, it is not a new or foreign idea. Paul emphasizes that it is “promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.” In other words, the Old Testament itself pointed forward to this moment.
The same Scriptures that testified to human sinfulness (Romans 3:10–18) also testified to God’s plan to make us right with God, not through our own law‑keeping, but through divine grace (See Genesis 15:6, Psalm 32:1-2, Ezekiel 36:25-27, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Isaiah 53:5-6).
III. Made Right With God by Placing Our Faith in Jesus Christ (22a)
See verse 22a.
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul now shows how we are made right with God:
It is “by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.”
Being made right with God:
- originates from God, not humans
- is received, not earned
- comes through faith, not works
Faith here is not merely intellectual agreement (James 2:19; John 2:23–25), but genuine faith in Jesus Christ as God’s provision for salvation (John 6:68; Matthew 16:16–17; John 3:5)—a faith that is followed by deeds (James 2:20) and obedience (John 14:15). What the Law could not do because of human weakness, God has done through Christ.
IV. For Everyone Who Believes, No Matter Who We Are (22b)
See verse 22b.
And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
Finally, Paul makes the scope clear beyond doubt:
Being made right with God is “for everyone who believes.”
This directly answers the earlier question in Romans 3:9: Are Jews better than others? The answer remains no. Just as sin is universal, God’s offer to make people right with Himself is universally available—but it is received only through faith. Ethnic background, religious privilege, or moral effort give no advantage here. All people stand equally in need of grace before the cross.
Conclusion
Romans 3:21–22 stands as the great gospel turning point. After the Law has exposed sin and silenced every excuse, God reveals a way of being made right with Him that humans could never produce on their own. This “being made right with God” is not achieved by human effort, but received by believing. It is God’s gift, given through faith in Jesus Christ, and offered to all without distinction.
The Law reveals our sin, but grace provides salvation.
