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Romans 3:28 meaning

Justification is only possible through faith; it is not possible from works or following the law.

Paul says it again: every single person that is justified before God is justified by faith in Jesus. Jesus does the work, not us. This means no matter how many laws we keep it will never be enough. Justification before God comes only one way, and that is by believing in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus’ shed blood on the cross is the blood of the “mercy seat” that atones for our sins before God.

Over and over Paul states and restates his central thesis: 1) justification before God comes by grace alone, apart from the law, and that righteousness before God is something we receive as a free gift, and 2) that righteousness can be lived out in everyday life only one way, and that is the same way it is received in the first place: by faith.

The theme statement in Romans 1:16-17 continues throughout the entire letter. Righteousness comes through the power of the gospel, and a person who lives righteously does so by faith, from beginning to end.

What is a “work of the law?” It is simply keeping the rules. We as humans are rule makers and rule followers (particularly when it applies to others, not so much for ourselves). No amount of rule keeping can justify us before God because each of us is sinful (verse 23).

Biblical Text

²⁸ For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

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Additional Resources

Book Theme

The Apostle Paul writes to the world-renowned believers in Rome, the center of the world at that time, in order to answer a slanderous charge made to them against Paul and his message. Paul’s detractors claim his emphasis on faith overturns the law. Paul says that ” just living by the law” does not achieve personal justice before God, while “just living by faith” does. Paul then demonstrates what a just life looks like: harmonious living with Jesus as the leader. Paul also makes clear the choice a believer has: to walk in faith and the power of the resurrection and experience resurrection life, or walk in sin and unnecessarily experience the negative consequences.

Chapter Context

Paul specifies the slander charge raised against him by competing Jewish “authorities” who claim Paul is teaching that believers ought to sin. These “authorities” claim that Paul teaches we ought to do evil because then we are doing good: “Do evil that good may come.”

These authorities claim Paul teaches that we do God a favor by showing how full of grace God is.

Paul dismisses their charge as a statement that is worthy of condemnation, but goes on to emphasize that he is no better than they are because no person other than Jesus can be good enough to satisfy the requirements of God’s law.

The reality is that we are all sinners, and each of us needs the grace of God. In this chapter, Paul sets up a defense of his position that righteous living comes through living by faith.

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