But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
Romans 3:21-22a (ESV)
To be righteous is to be innocent of wrongdoing, to be one who always does what is right. Up to this point in Romans, Paul has gone to great lengths to demonstrate that no one is righteous. No matter how good we might be, or how hard we try to keep God’s commands, we fall short and are deserving only of the wrath of God.
“But now” marks a turning point in Romans. But now, the righteousness of God has been manifested. This righteousness was unknown throughout the Old Testament, although the Law and Prophets did point toward it.
What is ‘the righteousness of God’? It is not a simple declaration that God is righteous, although that is true and was known in the Old Testament. As Paul uses the term here, it implies something other than just an attribute of God.
You might think of ‘the righteousness of God’ as being a state of being. A state of being that is true of God. But it is also a gift. It is something that is given to us through faith in Christ.
‘The righteousness of God’ is something that is imputed (ascribed or attributed) to all those who believe. When I came to faith in Jesus, I was justified—God’s righteousness was imputed to me. My righteousness is as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). But now, in Christ Jesus, God looks at me and sees his righteousness.
Although I have been justified and now bear God’s righteousness, in practical terms, I am still less than righteous. But my goal as a believer should be to bring my practical life into conformity with my position in Christ. To strive to be righteous as He is righteous (1 John 3:7).
