Why Self Righteousness Always Fails! - Romans 3

Righteousness Through Faith

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

In chapter 3 Paul makes the case that Gentiles and Jews are on a level playing field, despite the fact that the Jews were entrusted with the Law and Promises of God.  But the great equalizer is the Law.  Both Jews and Gentiles are equally guilty under the Law, and therefore need a solution to their mutual sin problem.  Paul uses the word "righteousness", which means being the state of "being right with God".  Without righteousness we cannot approach a righteous God. This why someone who is "self-righteous" is so distasteful. Righteousness is related to justification in the sense of when we are justified we are made right with God.  So what is the solution to this problem we all have? How can we be justified when we come to the table with nothing to offer on our own? 

Paul says a "new righteousness" has been made available.  This is a righteousness that comes by faith.  And the object of this faith is Jesus.  So though we cannot be righteous because of our sin, Jesus, the only One who is truly righteous, can justify us.  How? When Jesus shed his blood on the cross he redeemed us, or made atonement for us. What does that mean? He stood in the gap for us.  Since we could never manufacture the righteousness we needed (or live perfect in concert with God's moral law), Jesus died in our place so we could be justified or made right with God.  And how do we obtain this righteousness we so badly need.  Through faith in Christ.  This means we trust in what Christ did for us and not what we do in vain to achieve our own righteousness.  

Paul says it succinctly when he says, "Jesus paid a debt he did not owe to those who had a debt they could not pay?"  That is the gospel my friends and what makes Christianity different from every other religion.