Romans 3

Faith in Jesus Christ

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Romans 3:21–22

Paul says God's way of making people righteous is through faith in Jesus Christ, and that the law and the prophets already testified of it. The whole Old Testament was pointing forward to Him.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Jacob 4:4-5 — The prophets knew of Christ and the law pointed their souls to Him.
• the same title in Romans 1:17 — The righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith.

Grace and redemption in Christ Jesus

Christ — the Anointed One (Greek Christos, Hebrew Messiah)

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Romans 3:24

Being made right with God is a free gift of grace, and the price of that redemption was paid by Christ Jesus. We could never earn it by keeping rules alone.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• alludes to 2 Nephi 2:6-8 — Redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah, by His merits and grace.

Propitiation through His blood

Propitiation — the atoning offering that satisfies justice and turns away wrath; the Greek hilasterion is also the word for the mercy seat

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Romans 3:25

The Father set forth Jesus as the atoning sacrifice, and through faith in His shed blood past sins are forgiven. The Greek word links Him to the mercy seat on the ark, where the high priest sprinkled blood on the Day of Atonement.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in 1 John 2:2 — He is the propitiation for our sins.
• typified by Exodus 25:17-22 — The mercy seat, where God met Israel over sprinkled blood, prefigured Christ as the place of atonement.
• typified by Leviticus 16:14-15 — Blood sprinkled upon the mercy seat on the Day of Atonement.

Faith in Jesus

Jesus — Jehovah saves (Hebrew Yeshua)

To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Romans 3:26

Because of Christ's sacrifice, God can be perfectly just and still forgive the person who believes in Jesus. Justice and mercy both are satisfied.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Alma 42:15 — The Atonement made so that God might be a perfect, just God and a merciful God also.