“But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:22-23
We know the words well, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). They keep us humble, and they should, but they should do much more than merely foster humility. Contextually, these words are liberating. Take a moment and read them in their context.
Humanity has seemingly always struggled to work “with” God, as it strove to “work out” its salvation (Phil. 2:12). It strives to find ways around confession, surrender, and submission, leaving them as a last resort. That “all have sinned,” save Jesus, is obvious. But Jesus sets us free from thinking we must craft our own senses of righteousness. God’s righteousness is by faith in grace through Christ (Rom. 3:22, 24). God declares us righteous because of the confidence we have in him. When this is the groundwork, God is able to “work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).
