Here is the most important paragraph in the most important letter ever written:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “but the righteous man shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16–17)

The revealing of God’s righteousness is just about the greatest thing that ever happened. But what is “the righteousness of God,” and how was it revealed?

The righteousness of God revealed

I used to think the “righteousness of God” referred to God’s righteous character. Just as God is holy and wise, he is righteous and just. That is not what Paul is talking about here. Not exactly.

Note that Paul says the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel. In other words, before the gospel nobody really knew about the righteousness of God. When the psalmists and prophets of the Old Testament wrote about the righteousness of God (e.g., Psalm 71:19, 98:2, Is. 42:21), they didn’t have the complete picture.

So what is the complete picture?

After I began to understand grace, I saw this verse as referring to the gift of righteousness. In Romans 5, Paul says, “Those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life” (verse 17). Giving righteousness is one way that God reveals his righteousness.

But again that is not the full picture.

What is the righteousness of God?

In Romans 1:17, the righteousness of God refers to his faithfulness in keeping his promises to make things right.

If God does nothing, he remains 100 percent righteous and just. But God has done something that reveals his righteousness – he has fulfilled all his promises in a way that demonstrates his faithfulness, justice, and mercy.

It’s all about the promises.

In the Old Testament, God promised to help, heal, and deliver us. These are the “I wills of God,” those things he has committed to do to save a world ravaged by sin.

Here’s a quick look at some of God’s promises:

• God to Adam: “It is not good for humanity to be alone. I will make a Helper” (Gen. 2:18).
• God to the devil: “There will be enmity between you and the woman, and her Seed shall crush you” (Gen. 3:15).
• God to Abraham: “Through your Seed all nations would be blessed” (Gen. 22:18).
• God to David: “Ask of me, and I will give the nations as your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as your possession” (Ps. 2:8).
• God to Israel: “I will remember your sins no more” (Jer. 31:34). “I will put my Spirit in you and give you a new heart” (Eze. 36:25–26).

The gospel reveals that these promises are fulfilled in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20). Jesus is the Helper who comes to the aid of humanity. He is the Seed that crushes Satan’s head and blesses the nations. He is the King who bears our sins and gives us his Spirit.

To recap:

• The Old Testament: “God will help, heal, and deliver us.”
• The Gospel: “God has done what he promised – see the cross!”

But that’s not all Paul says about the righteousness of God:

1. Our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God (Rom. 3:5)

If we were good and righteous, we would not need rescuing. If we could save ourselves, we would not need a Savior. But we are unrighteous sinners, lost and beyond hope (Rom. 3:23).

Enter, God. Because God is good, he has a plan for saving us. Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous (Rom. 4:5). Because he is faithful to his creation, he intends to restore all things (Col. 1:20). Our unrighteousness provides an opportunity for God to demonstrate his righteousness.

2. The law does not demonstrate the righteousness of God (Rom. 3:21)

The law leads to self-righteousness; it does not reveal God’s righteousness.

If we could justify ourselves by keeping the law, we would not need God’s help. But no one can keep the law perfectly. Like a concrete life jacket, the law offers an illusion of safety while highlighting our captivity to sin.

3. The cross demonstrates the righteousness of God (Rom. 3:25–26)

The cross of Christ reveals the Creator’s faithfulness to creation (Rom. 8:19–21). It displays his justice (toward sin; Rom. 3:25) and mercy (toward sinners; Rom. 11:32).

If Christ had never gone to the cross, we might wonder whether God cared about all the pain and suffering in the world. And if God had punished every sinner, we might wonder whether he cared about us. But through the cross, God declares, “I love you, and I am making things right.”

From faith to faith

Now we come to the last bit:

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith (Romans 1:17)

Note that the Greek words for “faith” and “faithfulness” are the same. Here is my paraphrase:

For in it (the gospel), the righteousness of God (his plan to rescue us and restore creation) is revealed (made plain) from faith (the gospel reveals God’s faithfulness) to faith (and is received by faith).

The gospel reveals that God has done something unexpected and wonderful in fulfilling his promises. Through the cross, we see God’s love and faithfulness coming together like two great waves demolishing our prison of sin. We hear the thunderclaps of his justice and mercy shattering our bonds and setting us free.

The short version: You can have faith in God because the cross demonstrates his faithfulness to us and all creation.

—

Draft chapters of my forthcoming book on Romans are available now on Patreon:

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

• You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
• You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
• You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

• You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
• You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
• You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

• You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
• You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
• You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

• You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
• You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
• You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

• You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
• You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
• You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

• You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
• You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
• You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

• You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
• You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
• You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

• You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
• You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
• You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.

Years ago I heard Joseph Prince say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” When I heard this, my spirit responded with a hearty “Amen!”

But this was one of those times when my spirit grasped a truth faster than my brain. As they say, it was truth that was better “felt than telt.”

What does it mean to say, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous”? I believed it with all my heart, but I couldn’t explain it.

Can you?

The puzzle God had to solve

When Adam sinned, he put his entire family – including you and me – on death row (Rom. 5:17). By walking away from God, he put all of us under the law of sin and death.

What could God do in this situation?

A just God could not say, “I will turn a blind eye to their rebellion and pretend it never happened.”

A merciful God could not say, “I will slay the lot of them and start afresh.”

A loving God could not say, “I will let them go their own way and do nothing.”

Do you see the difficulty? God could be just or merciful, but not both. To act justly, was to act unmercifully, and vice versa.

What could God do?

Thankfully, our wise and wonderful Father had a brilliant solution: the cross. Through his Son, he clothed himself in humanity, bore our sins, and redeemed us with his blood. He gave himself as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

With this in mind, we can unpack the statement, “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous.” There are two parts:

1. God is righteous

The righteousness of God is revealed in the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). God did not cheat or cut corners when he kept his promise to save us. In sending his Son, he was fully loving (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8), fully merciful (Rom. 11:32, Eph. 2:4), and fully just (Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10).

In the Old Testament, God told us what he was going to do (save us), and in the New Testament, he did it. He was faithful to his word and true to his character.

But that is only half of the story.

2. God makes sinners righteous

God does not merely leave sinners unpunished; he justifies them (“You are innocent”) and makes them righteous (“You are mine”). This is the surprising announcement of the gospel.

We were lost, but God found us. We were dead in our sins, but God made us alive in Christ Jesus. We were part of Adam’s family, but when we turned to God in faith, he adopted us into his family.

It’s as though a king had torn down all the prisons, and adopted the prisoners as his royal heirs.

What does it mean to say “God is righteous in making the sinner righteous?”

To say, “God is righteous” is to say, “God is faithful to himself (he is just and merciful) and he is faithful to his creation (he has not abandoned us, but he is for us and with us).”

To say, “God makes sinners righteous” is to say, “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5). He who knew no sin became sin that we might become righteous with his righteousness (John 1:29, 2 Cor. 5:21).

These are two sides of the same coin: Because God is righteous, he makes sinners righteous. And in making sinners righteous, God reveals his righteousness.

Do you see what this means?

• You don’t need to make yourself righteous because God has redeemed and accepted you
• You don’t need to make yourself righteous and holy because God has changed you and made you new
• You don’t need to maintain your salvation because God can be trusted to keep you and finish the good work he began in you

Your part is to quit trying to do God’s job. Your part is to rest in the One who is our righteousness, holiness, and salvation from God.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! (Romans 11:33)

—

Righteousness is a gift from God, but what is the righteousness of God? And how does it relate to the wrath of God? The righteousness of God is probably the least understood part of the new covenant. My new ebook exploring The Righteousness of God is available now on Patreon.